by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 10 colleges for Men’s Soccer (Division II) 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Jump to the options below.
Learn more about these schools below:
Catawba College tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Soccer (Division II). Based in Salisbury, NC, Catawba College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,707, against $12,928 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $9,164.
Lenoir-Rhyne University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Men's Soccer (Division II). Based in Hickory, NC, Lenoir-Rhyne University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $12,366 per participant, against $12,366 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,094.
Wingate University landed the #3 spot for Men's Soccer (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Wingate, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $19,181, against $18,809 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $6,748 per athlete.
University of Mount Olive came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Soccer (Division II). University of Mount Olive is a private not-for-profit school based in Mount Olive, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,817, against $9,779 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,775.
Barton College is one of the top schools for Men's Soccer (Division II), at #5. Located in Wilson, NC, Barton College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,257, against $9,257 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,654.
Lees-McRae College ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Men's Soccer (Division II). Based in Banner Elk, NC, Lees-McRae College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $17,078, with expenses of about $17,078 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,547.
Mars Hill University placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Soccer (Division II). Located in Mars Hill, NC, Mars Hill University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,712, with expenses of about $9,712 per participant. Athletic aid averages $6,311 per athlete.
Chowan University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Located in Murfreesboro, NC, Chowan University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $13,317 in revenue per athlete, against $13,317 in expenses. The school awards about $5,571 in athletic aid per athlete.
Belmont Abbey College did well this year, earning the #9 position. Belmont Abbey College is a private not-for-profit school based in Belmont, NC. The program generates about $7,220 in revenue per athlete, against $7,220 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,908.
Shaw University placed #10 among the best colleges for Men's Soccer (Division II). Located in Raleigh, NC, Shaw University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $7,654 per participant, with expenses of about $7,654 per participant. Athletic aid averages $7,825 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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
See our data sources and methodologies.