by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 10 colleges for Women’s Soccer (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.
Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Jump to the options below.
Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Samford University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Soccer (Division I). Located in Birmingham, AL, Samford University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 998, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 72%. Team revenue averages $38,072 per participant, with expenses of about $36,734 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $20,864.
Auburn University is one of the top schools for Women's Soccer (Division I), at #2. Based in Auburn, AL, Auburn University is a public institution. Auburn University records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 76%. Team revenue averages $13,053 per participant, with expenses of about $88,813 per participant. The school awards about $28,233 in athletic aid per athlete.
The University of Alabama is one of the top schools for Women's Soccer (Division I), at #3. Based in Tuscaloosa, AL, The University of Alabama is a public institution. The University of Alabama records an NCAA APR of 992, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 85%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $79,717, against $79,717 in expenses. The school awards about $20,760 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Alabama at Birmingham landed the #4 spot for Women's Soccer (Division I). Based in Birmingham, AL, University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 987, with a Graduation Success Rate of 96%. The federal graduation rate stands at 63%. Team revenue averages $38,051 per participant, compared with $36,400 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $17,655 per athlete.
University of North Alabama earned the #5 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Florence, AL. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 995, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 65%. The program generates about $19,805 in revenue per athlete, against $19,805 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $13,402 per athlete.
University of South Alabama placed #6 among the best colleges for Women's Soccer (Division I). University of South Alabama is a public school based in Mobile, AL. University of South Alabama records an NCAA APR of 979, with a Graduation Success Rate of 86%. About 30% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $46,285 in revenue per athlete, against $46,285 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $15,705.
Troy University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Located in Troy, AL, Troy University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 971, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 48%. Team revenue averages $27,023 per participant, with expenses of about $27,015 per participant. Athletic aid averages $13,487 per athlete.
Jacksonville State University did well this year, earning the #8 position. This public school is set in Jacksonville, AL. The team's NCAA APR score is 961, with a Graduation Success Rate of 89%. About 54% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $29,369 in revenue per athlete, compared with $29,369 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $14,761 per athlete.
Alabama State University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Based in Montgomery, AL, Alabama State University is a public institution. Alabama State University records an NCAA APR of 986, and a 94% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 59%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $17,535, with expenses of about $17,535 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,418.
Alabama A & M University ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Women's Soccer (Division I). Based in Normal, AL, Alabama A & M University is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 947, alongside a GSR of 85%. About 44% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,892, against $9,218 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $8,274 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.