by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 15 programs for Men’s Lacrosse (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Pick a path below.
Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Boston University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Lacrosse (Division I). Boston University is a private not-for-profit school based in Boston, MA. The team's NCAA APR score is 992, alongside a GSR of 95%. Its federal graduation rate is 83%. The program generates about $38,205 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $38,205 per participant. Athletic aid averages $27,954 per athlete.
Providence College ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Lacrosse (Division I). Based in Providence, RI, Providence College is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 990, alongside a GSR of 97%. Its federal graduation rate is 78%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $42,933, compared with $42,933 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $25,955.
Quinnipiac University is one of the top schools for Men's Lacrosse (Division I), at #3. This private not-for-profit school is set in Hamden, CT. Quinnipiac University records an NCAA APR of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 87%. About 77% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $32,916 in revenue per athlete, compared with $32,916 spent per athlete. The school awards about $27,084 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst landed the #4 spot for Men's Lacrosse (Division I). Located in Amherst, MA, University of Massachusetts-Amherst is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 996, and a 91% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 62%. The program generates about $33,279 in revenue per athlete, compared with $33,279 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $17,175.
University of Vermont came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Lacrosse (Division I). University of Vermont is a public school based in Burlington, VT. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 991, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 71%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $33,709, with expenses of about $33,712 per participant. Athletic aid averages $12,164 per athlete.
College of the Holy Cross placed #6 among the best colleges for Men's Lacrosse (Division I). Based in Worcester, MA, College of the Holy Cross is a private not-for-profit institution. College of the Holy Cross records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 75% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $17,469, compared with $17,469 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $17,801.
Fairfield University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Based in Fairfield, CT, Fairfield University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 988, with a Graduation Success Rate of 90%. Its federal graduation rate is 79%. Team revenue averages $32,916 per participant, against $32,916 in expenses. The school awards about $19,587 in athletic aid per athlete.
Harvard University did well this year, earning the #8 position. Harvard University is a private not-for-profit school based in Cambridge, MA. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 996, with a Graduation Success Rate of 97%. The program generates about $25,251 in revenue per athlete, compared with $25,251 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Bryant University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Men's Lacrosse (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Smithfield, RI. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 993, and a 93% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 63%. Team revenue averages $29,944 per participant, against $29,944 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $14,982 per athlete.
Merrimack College came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Merrimack College is a private not-for-profit school based in North Andover, MA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 989, and a 82% Graduation Success Rate. About 64% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $31,204 per participant, with expenses of about $31,204 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $20,394.
Yale University came in at #11 in this year's ranking. Based in New Haven, CT, Yale University is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 971, alongside a GSR of 100%. Team revenue averages $32,823 per participant, against $32,823 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Sacred Heart University landed the #12 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Fairfield, CT. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 992, with a Graduation Success Rate of 93%. Its federal graduation rate is 83%. The program generates about $23,441 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $23,441 per participant. Athletic aid averages $11,128 per athlete.
Dartmouth College ranked #13 on our 2026 list for Men's Lacrosse (Division I). Based in Hanover, NH, Dartmouth College is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 991, with a Graduation Success Rate of 98%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $18,452, against $18,452 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Massachusetts-Lowell ranked #14 on our 2026 list for Men's Lacrosse (Division I). University of Massachusetts-Lowell is a public school based in Lowell, MA. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 987, and a 93% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 57%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $28,229, compared with $28,229 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $11,361.
Brown University did well this year, earning the #15 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Providence, RI. Brown University records an NCAA APR of 976, with a Graduation Success Rate of 93%. The program generates about $30,559 in revenue per athlete, against $30,559 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.