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Case Western Reserve University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Student Athletes. Based in Cleveland, OH, Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit institution.
by our College Data Analytics TeamChoosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 43 programs for Student Athletes by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual evaluates each program using 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:
Case Western Reserve University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Student Athletes. Based in Cleveland, OH, Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Denison University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Granville, OH.
Ohio State University-Main Campus earned the #3 place for student athletes. Located in Columbus, OH, Ohio State University-Main Campus is a public institution.
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus is one of the top schools for Student Athletes, at #4. Located in Cincinnati, OH, University of Cincinnati-Main Campus is a public institution.
Kenyon College landed the #5 spot for Student Athletes. Based in Gambier, OH, Kenyon College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Oberlin College placed #6 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Based in Oberlin, OH, Oberlin College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Cedarville University did well this year, earning the #7 position. Located in Cedarville, OH, Cedarville University is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of Dayton did well this year, earning the #8 position. University of Dayton is a private not-for-profit school based in Dayton, OH.
John Carroll University placed #9 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. John Carroll University is a private not-for-profit school based in University Heights, OH.
Xavier University placed #10 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Cincinnati, OH.
Miami University-Oxford did well this year, earning the #11 position. Miami University-Oxford is a public school based in Oxford, OH.
University of Toledo came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Based in Toledo, OH, University of Toledo is a public institution.
Ohio University-Main Campus ranked #13 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. Based in Athens, OH, Ohio University-Main Campus is a public institution.
The College of Wooster placed #14 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Located in Wooster, OH, The College of Wooster is a private not-for-profit institution.
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus landed the #15 spot this year. Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is a public school based in Bowling Green, OH.
Ohio Northern University came in at #16 in this year's ranking. Located in Ada, OH, Ohio Northern University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Kent State University at Kent placed #17 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Kent State University at Kent is a public school based in Kent, OH.
Franciscan University of Steubenville placed #18 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Located in Steubenville, OH, Franciscan University of Steubenville is a private not-for-profit institution.
Cleveland State University did well this year, earning the #19 position. Located in Cleveland, OH, Cleveland State University is a public institution.
Wright State University-Main Campus landed the #20 spot this year. Wright State University-Main Campus is a public school based in Dayton, OH.
Youngstown State University placed #21 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. This public school is set in Youngstown, OH.
Ashland University did well this year, earning the #22 position. Ashland University is a private not-for-profit school based in Ashland, OH.
Baldwin Wallace University placed #23 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Located in Berea, OH, Baldwin Wallace University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Otterbein University landed the #24 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Westerville, OH.
Walsh University ranked #25 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. Based in North Canton, OH, Walsh University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Not far behind, these colleges also placed near the top this year:
*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
See our data sources and methodologies.