by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 11 colleges for Women’s Golf (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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Explore the leading programs below:
Carleton College earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Golf (Division III). Based in Northfield, MN, Carleton College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $10,728 per participant, compared with $10,977 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Macalester College landed the #2 spot for Women's Golf (Division III). Macalester College is a private not-for-profit school based in Saint Paul, MN. Team revenue averages $9,038 per participant, compared with $9,009 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
St Olaf College earned the #3 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Northfield, MN. Team revenue averages $7,168 per participant, with expenses of about $7,168 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Gustavus Adolphus College ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Golf (Division III). Gustavus Adolphus College is a private not-for-profit school based in Saint Peter, MN. The program generates about $7,783 in revenue per athlete, compared with $7,783 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
St Catherine University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Golf (Division III). Located in Saint Paul, MN, St Catherine University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $12,409 per participant, compared with $12,409 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Martin Luther College ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Golf (Division III). Martin Luther College is a private not-for-profit school based in New Ulm, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,084, against $4,084 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Northwestern-St Paul placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Golf (Division III). University of Northwestern-St Paul is a private not-for-profit school based in Saint Paul, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,547, with expenses of about $6,547 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
North Central University landed the #8 spot this year. Based in Minneapolis, MN, North Central University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $2,181 per participant, with expenses of about $2,181 per participant. The school awards about $49 in athletic aid per athlete.
Bethany Lutheran College did well this year, earning the #9 position. Located in Mankato, MN, Bethany Lutheran College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,552, against $7,499 in expenses. 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.