by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 12 schools for Men’s Golf (Division I) 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.
Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Jump to the options below.
Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Villanova University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Golf (Division I). Located in Villanova, PA, Villanova University is a private not-for-profit institution. Villanova University records an NCAA APR of 1000. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $29,705, compared with $29,705 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $25,480 per athlete.
Temple University is one of the top schools for Men's Golf (Division I), at #2. Temple University is a public school based in Philadelphia, PA. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 88%. Its federal graduation rate is 75%. The program generates about $72,892 in revenue per athlete, compared with $72,892 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $28,567 per athlete.
Drexel University landed the #3 spot for Men's Golf (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Philadelphia, PA. Drexel University records an NCAA APR of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 88%. Team revenue averages $47,937 per participant, compared with $47,937 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $25,843 per athlete.
Bucknell University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Golf (Division I). Bucknell University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lewisburg, PA. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 89%. The program generates about $27,203 in revenue per athlete, compared with $27,203 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $19,655.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is one of the top schools for Men's Golf (Division I), at #5. Based in University Park, PA, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 993, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 89%. The program generates about $19,553 in revenue per athlete, against $66,382 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $25,170.
Lafayette College placed #6 among the best colleges for Men's Golf (Division I). Based in Easton, PA, Lafayette College is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Team revenue averages $20,132 per participant, with expenses of about $20,132 per participant. The school awards about $18,987 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Pennsylvania placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Golf (Division I). Based in Philadelphia, PA, University of Pennsylvania is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 992, alongside a GSR of 100%. The program generates about $27,807 in revenue per athlete, against $27,807 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia landed the #8 spot this year. Based in Philadelphia, PA, Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 100%. Team revenue averages $20,508 per participant, with expenses of about $20,508 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,694.
Saint Francis University placed #9 among the best colleges for Men's Golf (Division I). Saint Francis University is a private not-for-profit school based in Loretto, PA. Student-athletes graduate at a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 100%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $21,142, compared with $21,142 spent per athlete. The school awards about $13,253 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lehigh University placed #10 among the best colleges for Men's Golf (Division I). Located in Bethlehem, PA, Lehigh University is a private not-for-profit institution. Student-athletes graduate at a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 50%. The program generates about $15,046 in revenue per athlete, compared with $15,046 spent per athlete. The school awards about $19,391 in athletic aid per athlete.
Robert Morris University placed #11 among the best colleges for Men's Golf (Division I). Located in Moon Township, PA, Robert Morris University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 978, alongside a GSR of 86%. The federal graduation rate stands at 67%. The program generates about $23,245 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $23,245 per participant. Athletic aid averages $17,083 per athlete.
La Salle University ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Men's Golf (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Philadelphia, PA. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 984, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 60%. Team revenue averages $20,675 per participant, compared with $20,675 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $16,413 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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.