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Our analysis found Milwaukee School of Engineering to be the best college for Student Athletes in Wisconsin. Based in Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee School of Engineering is a private not-for-profit institution.
by our College Data Analytics TeamFor student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 24 programs for Student Athletes by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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 Milwaukee School of Engineering to be the best college for Student Athletes in Wisconsin. Based in Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee School of Engineering is a private not-for-profit institution.
Lawrence University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Appleton, WI, Lawrence University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Marquette University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Marquette University is a private not-for-profit school based in Milwaukee, WI.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is one of the top schools for Student Athletes, at #4. Based in La Crosse, WI, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is a public institution.
University of Wisconsin-Madison ranked #5 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Located in Madison, WI, University of Wisconsin-Madison is a public institution.
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Based in Eau Claire, WI, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is a public institution.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a public school based in Milwaukee, WI.
Beloit College ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. Located in Beloit, WI, Beloit College is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville landed the #9 spot this year. Located in Platteville, WI, University of Wisconsin-Platteville is a public institution.
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater did well this year, earning the #10 position. Based in Whitewater, WI, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is a public institution.
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay did well this year, earning the #11 position. Based in Green Bay, WI, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a public institution.
Maranatha Baptist University came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Maranatha Baptist University is a private not-for-profit school based in Watertown, WI.
Concordia University-Wisconsin landed the #13 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Mequon, WI.
University of Wisconsin-River Falls came in at #14 in this year's ranking. Based in River Falls, WI, University of Wisconsin-River Falls is a public institution.
Carthage College did well this year, earning the #15 position. Carthage College is a private not-for-profit school based in Kenosha, WI.
Wisconsin Lutheran College placed #16 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Wisconsin Lutheran College is a private not-for-profit school based in Milwaukee, WI.
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh placed #17 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Located in Oshkosh, WI, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is a public institution.
University of Wisconsin-Parkside ranked #18 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. University of Wisconsin-Parkside is a public school based in Kenosha, WI.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point came in at #19 in this year's ranking. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is a public school based in Stevens Point, WI.
Ripon College did well this year, earning the #20 position. Ripon College is a private not-for-profit school based in Ripon, WI.
University of Wisconsin-Stout came in at #21 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Menomonie, WI.
Alverno College did well this year, earning the #22 position. Located in Milwaukee, WI, Alverno College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Lakeland University came in at #23 in this year's ranking. Lakeland University is a private not-for-profit school based in Plymouth, WI.
University of Wisconsin-Superior came in at #24 in this year's ranking. Located in Superior, WI, University of Wisconsin-Superior is a public institution.
*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
See our data sources and methodologies.