2026 Best Colleges for Men’s Soccer (Division II) in Illinois

Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 5 colleges for Men’s Soccer (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.

So you can compare your options, 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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Top 5 Colleges for Men’s Soccer (Division II)

Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:

1

Lewis University
Romeoville, IL

85% Academic Quality Percentile

49 Team Participants

Leading the list is Lewis University, our #1 college for Men's Soccer (Division II). Lewis University is a private not-for-profit school based in Romeoville, IL. Team revenue averages $13,091 per participant, with expenses of about $13,091 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $9,669.

2

McKendree University
Lebanon, IL

73% Academic Quality Percentile

38 Team Participants

McKendree University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Lebanon, IL, McKendree University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $18,985, with expenses of about $18,985 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,695.

3

University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield, IL

80% Academic Quality Percentile

30 Team Participants

University of Illinois Springfield landed the #3 spot for Men's Soccer (Division II). This public school is set in Springfield, IL. The program generates about $13,596 in revenue per athlete, against $13,596 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $4,768 per athlete.

4

Roosevelt University
Chicago, IL

77% Academic Quality Percentile

34 Team Participants

Roosevelt University is one of the top schools for Men's Soccer (Division II), at #4. Roosevelt University is a private not-for-profit school based in Chicago, IL. Team revenue averages $14,556 per participant, with expenses of about $14,556 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,633.

5

Quincy University
Quincy, IL

67% Academic Quality Percentile

47 Team Participants

Quincy University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Soccer (Division II). Based in Quincy, IL, Quincy University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,195, against $13,174 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $8,507 per athlete.

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Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.

The ranking above is published 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

• NCAA Academic Progress Rate & Graduation Success Rate — National Collegiate Athletic Association (athlete academic outcomes).
• Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) — U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (team participation, revenue, expenses, and aid).
• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics (institutional data).

More about our data sources and methodologies.