by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 6 programs for Women’s Soccer (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, 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 Connecticut to be the best college for Women's Soccer (Division I) in Connecticut. This public school is set in Storrs, CT. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 75%. Team revenue averages $58,650 per participant, against $58,650 in expenses. The school awards about $20,776 in athletic aid per athlete.
Fairfield University landed the #2 spot for Women's Soccer (Division I). Fairfield University is a private not-for-profit school based in Fairfield, CT. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 90% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $47,399 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $47,399 per participant. Athletic aid averages $19,587 per athlete.
Quinnipiac University landed the #3 spot for Women's Soccer (Division I). Located in Hamden, CT, Quinnipiac University is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 993, alongside a GSR of 92%. Its federal graduation rate is 88%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $53,842, with expenses of about $53,842 per participant. Athletic aid averages $27,084 per athlete.
Yale University earned the #4 place for student athletes. Located in New Haven, CT, Yale University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 997, alongside a GSR of 100%. The program generates about $19,107 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $19,107 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Sacred Heart University landed the #5 spot for Women's Soccer (Division I). Located in Fairfield, CT, Sacred Heart University is a private not-for-profit institution. Sacred Heart University records an NCAA APR of 983, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 63% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $33,621 per participant, compared with $33,621 spent per athlete. The school awards about $11,128 in athletic aid per athlete.
Central Connecticut State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Soccer (Division I). This public school is set in New Britain, CT. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 987, alongside a GSR of 89%. About 64% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $29,692 in revenue per athlete, against $29,692 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,791.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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.