by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 8 programs for Women’s Soccer (Division I) 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.
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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Western Kentucky University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Soccer (Division I). Located in Bowling Green, KY, Western Kentucky University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 990, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 83%. The program generates about $29,695 in revenue per athlete, compared with $29,695 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $14,243 per athlete.
University of Kentucky earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Lexington, KY, University of Kentucky is a public institution. University of Kentucky records an NCAA APR of 978, with a Graduation Success Rate of 94%. Its federal graduation rate is 46%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $46,432, with expenses of about $46,432 per participant. The school awards about $23,921 in athletic aid per athlete.
Northern Kentucky University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Women's Soccer (Division I). This public school is set in Highland Heights, KY. Northern Kentucky University records an NCAA APR of 997, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 100% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $26,861, against $26,861 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,809.
Bellarmine University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Soccer (Division I). Bellarmine University is a private not-for-profit school based in Louisville, KY. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 96%. About 87% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $26,631, against $26,631 in expenses. The school awards about $10,105 in athletic aid per athlete.
Murray State University is one of the top schools for Women's Soccer (Division I), at #5. Murray State University is a public school based in Murray, KY. The team's NCAA APR score is 983, with a Graduation Success Rate of 96%. The federal graduation rate stands at 73%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $33,659, compared with $28,053 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $11,774 per athlete.
Eastern Kentucky University landed the #6 spot this year. Located in Richmond, KY, Eastern Kentucky University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 994, and a 95% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 62%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $28,981, against $28,981 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $12,644.
University of Louisville ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Soccer (Division I). Located in Louisville, KY, University of Louisville is a public institution. University of Louisville records an NCAA APR of 969, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 63%. The program generates about $934 in revenue per athlete, compared with $50,163 spent per athlete. The school awards about $21,083 in athletic aid per athlete.
Morehead State University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Soccer (Division I). Based in Morehead, KY, Morehead State University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 971, with a Graduation Success Rate of 96%. Its federal graduation rate is 69%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $20,513, against $20,529 in expenses. The school awards about $4,170 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.