by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 6 schools for Men’s Football (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Pick a path below.
Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Bowdoin College tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). Bowdoin College is a private not-for-profit school based in Brunswick, ME. The program generates about $11,299 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $10,766 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Bates College earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Lewiston, ME, Bates College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,676, against $12,025 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Colby College came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division III). Based in Waterville, ME, Colby College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $12,259, against $12,259 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Maine Maritime Academy ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). This public school is set in Castine, ME. The program generates about $7,403 in revenue per athlete, against $7,403 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of New England earned the #5 place for student athletes. Located in Biddeford, ME, University of New England is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $7,182 in revenue per athlete, against $7,334 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Husson University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Based in Bangor, ME, Husson University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,312, compared with $5,234 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.