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Our analysis found University of Denver to be the best college for Student Athletes in Colorado. Based in Denver, CO, University of Denver is a private not-for-profit institution.
by our College Data Analytics TeamPicking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. This list ranks 14 colleges 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:
Our analysis found University of Denver to be the best college for Student Athletes in Colorado. Based in Denver, CO, University of Denver is a private not-for-profit institution.
Colorado College is one of the top schools for Student Athletes, at #2. This private not-for-profit school is set in Colorado Springs, CO.
Colorado School of Mines came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes. Based in Golden, CO, Colorado School of Mines is a public institution.
University of Colorado Boulder ranked #4 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Located in Boulder, CO, University of Colorado Boulder is a public institution.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins ranked #5 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Based in Fort Collins, CO, Colorado State University-Fort Collins is a public institution.
Colorado Christian University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Lakewood, CO.
University of Colorado Colorado Springs landed the #7 spot this year. University of Colorado Colorado Springs is a public school based in Colorado Springs, CO.
University of Northern Colorado did well this year, earning the #8 position. University of Northern Colorado is a public school based in Greeley, CO.
Western Colorado University landed the #9 spot this year. Western Colorado University is a public school based in Gunnison, CO.
Fort Lewis College landed the #10 spot this year. Located in Durango, CO, Fort Lewis College is a public institution.
Colorado State University Pueblo did well this year, earning the #11 position. This public school is set in Pueblo, CO.
Colorado Mesa University landed the #12 spot this year. Based in Grand Junction, CO, Colorado Mesa University is a public institution.
Metropolitan State University of Denver placed #13 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. This public school is set in Denver, CO.
Adams State University landed the #14 spot this year. Adams State University is a public school based in Alamosa, CO.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.