by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 11 programs 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.
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Vanderbilt University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Soccer (Division I). Located in Nashville, TN, Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit institution. Vanderbilt University records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 86%. The program generates about $91,503 in revenue per athlete, compared with $91,503 spent per athlete. The school awards about $42,235 in athletic aid per athlete.
Belmont University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Nashville, TN, Belmont University is a private not-for-profit institution. Belmont University records an NCAA APR of 997, with a Graduation Success Rate of 96%. The federal graduation rate stands at 74%. The program generates about $46,902 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $46,902 per participant. The school awards about $21,742 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lipscomb University landed the #3 spot for Women's Soccer (Division I). Based in Nashville, TN, Lipscomb University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 994, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 81%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $81,431, against $81,431 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $18,176.
University of Memphis came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Women's Soccer (Division I). Located in Memphis, TN, University of Memphis is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 95%. About 61% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $34,142 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $54,113 per participant. Athletic aid averages $16,106 per athlete.
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Soccer (Division I). The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is a public school based in Knoxville, TN. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville records an NCAA APR of 995, alongside a GSR of 95%. The federal graduation rate stands at 44%. The program generates about $7,096 in revenue per athlete, compared with $86,255 spent per athlete. The school awards about $29,054 in athletic aid per athlete.
Middle Tennessee State University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Middle Tennessee State University is a public school based in Murfreesboro, TN. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 972, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 63%. The program generates about $40,656 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $40,656 per participant. The school awards about $20,110 in athletic aid per athlete.
East Tennessee State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Soccer (Division I). This public school is set in Johnson City, TN. East Tennessee State University records an NCAA APR of 997, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 92%. Team revenue averages $23,256 per participant, against $23,256 in expenses. The school awards about $11,444 in athletic aid per athlete.
Austin Peay State University placed #8 among the best colleges for Women's Soccer (Division I). This public school is set in Clarksville, TN. The team's NCAA APR score is 997, with a Graduation Success Rate of 96%. Its federal graduation rate is 80%. The program generates about $14,909 in revenue per athlete, compared with $14,909 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $13,483 per athlete.
Tennessee Technological University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Women's Soccer (Division I). This public school is set in Cookeville, TN. Tennessee Technological University records an NCAA APR of 995, alongside a GSR of 80%. The federal graduation rate stands at 58%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $28,786, with expenses of about $28,786 per participant. The school awards about $14,453 in athletic aid per athlete.
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga landed the #10 spot this year. This public school is set in Chattanooga, TN. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 991, with a Graduation Success Rate of 92%. About 66% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $36,698, compared with $36,698 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,025.
The University of Tennessee-Martin landed the #11 spot this year. This public school is set in Martin, TN. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 979, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 63%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $29,881, against $29,806 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $9,021 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
See our data sources and methodologies.