by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 9 colleges 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.
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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Our analysis found Grinnell College to be the best college for Men's Football (Division III) in Iowa. Located in Grinnell, IA, Grinnell College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,611, against $7,611 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Luther College ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). Based in Decorah, IA, Luther College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $7,010 per participant, compared with $7,010 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Loras College ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). Located in Dubuque, IA, Loras College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,782, with expenses of about $5,782 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Cornell College landed the #4 spot for Men's Football (Division III). Located in Mount Vernon, IA, Cornell College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $5,520 in revenue per athlete, against $5,188 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Simpson College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). Simpson College is a private not-for-profit school based in Indianola, IA. Team revenue averages $5,710 per participant, with expenses of about $4,984 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Wartburg College landed the #6 spot this year. Wartburg College is a private not-for-profit school based in Waverly, IA. The program generates about $3,031 in revenue per athlete, compared with $3,031 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Buena Vista University placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Storm Lake, IA. Team revenue averages $6,465 per participant, with expenses of about $6,304 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Coe College did well this year, earning the #8 position. Based in Cedar Rapids, IA, Coe College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,673, compared with $3,673 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Dubuque did well this year, earning the #9 position. University of Dubuque is a private not-for-profit school based in Dubuque, IA. The program generates about $5,774 in revenue per athlete, compared with $5,765 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. Rankings consider 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.