by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 15 programs for Men’s Football (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual scores each program on 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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Explore the leading programs below:
Lawrence University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division III). Lawrence University is a private not-for-profit school based in Appleton, WI. The program generates about $8,554 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $8,554 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division III). Based in Eau Claire, WI, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,836, compared with $7,726 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse earned the #3 place for student athletes. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is a public school based in La Crosse, WI. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,637, against $6,537 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville earned the #4 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Platteville, WI. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,387, compared with $9,114 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). Based in Whitewater, WI, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is a public institution. Team revenue averages $6,421 per participant, compared with $6,138 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Beloit College placed #6 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Beloit, WI. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,122, compared with $6,122 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Carthage College did well this year, earning the #7 position. Based in Kenosha, WI, Carthage College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $8,483 per participant, against $7,137 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Concordia University-Wisconsin ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Men's Football (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Mequon, WI. Team revenue averages $3,213 per participant, against $3,204 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Wisconsin Lutheran College landed the #9 spot this year. Based in Milwaukee, WI, Wisconsin Lutheran College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,864, against $4,864 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Wisconsin-River Falls came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Located in River Falls, WI, University of Wisconsin-River Falls is a public institution. Team revenue averages $5,105 per participant, compared with $5,105 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh landed the #11 spot this year. This public school is set in Oshkosh, WI. The program generates about $7,081 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $5,771 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Ripon College ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Men's Football (Division III). Located in Ripon, WI, Ripon College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $5,187 per participant, with expenses of about $5,124 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point placed #13 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). This public school is set in Stevens Point, WI. Team revenue averages $5,004 per participant, with expenses of about $4,909 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Wisconsin-Stout placed #14 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). Located in Menomonie, WI, University of Wisconsin-Stout is a public institution. Team revenue averages $4,747 per participant, against $4,747 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lakeland University did well this year, earning the #15 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Plymouth, WI. The program generates about $4,818 in revenue per athlete, against $4,769 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $41 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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
See our data sources and methodologies.