by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 11 schools for Men’s Football (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual weighs a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Our analysis found Chapman University to be the best college for Men's Football (Division III) in the Far Western Region. Located in Orange, CA, Chapman University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $7,217 per participant, against $7,217 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Pacific Lutheran University ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). Based in Tacoma, WA, Pacific Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $12,792, compared with $9,223 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Willamette University earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Salem, OR, Willamette University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $6,813 per participant, with expenses of about $6,813 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
California Lutheran University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Thousand Oaks, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,309, with expenses of about $4,309 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
George Fox University earned the #5 place for student athletes. Based in Newberg, OR, George Fox University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,876, compared with $9,154 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Lewis & Clark College landed the #6 spot this year. Based in Portland, OR, Lewis & Clark College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,084, with expenses of about $6,084 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Whitworth University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Men's Football (Division III). Whitworth University is a private not-for-profit school based in Spokane, WA. Team revenue averages $7,710 per participant, compared with $7,610 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Redlands placed #8 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Redlands, CA. Team revenue averages $5,642 per participant, compared with $5,364 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of La Verne placed #9 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in La Verne, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,408, with expenses of about $5,775 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Puget Sound landed the #10 spot this year. University of Puget Sound is a private not-for-profit school based in Tacoma, WA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,515, compared with $5,515 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Linfield University came in at #11 in this year's ranking. Located in McMinnville, OR, Linfield University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $7,608 per participant, with expenses of about $4,980 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Programs are scored on a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.