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Leading the list is Washington and Lee University, our #1 college for Student Athletes. Washington and Lee University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lexington, VA.
by our College Data Analytics TeamChoosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 32 programs for Student Athletes 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Leading the list is Washington and Lee University, our #1 college for Student Athletes. Washington and Lee University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lexington, VA.
University of Virginia-Main Campus came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes. University of Virginia-Main Campus is a public school based in Charlottesville, VA.
University of Richmond came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes. Located in University of Richmond, VA, University of Richmond is a private not-for-profit institution.
Christopher Newport University is one of the top schools for Student Athletes, at #4. Located in Newport News, VA, Christopher Newport University is a public institution.
William & Mary ranked #5 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. This public school is set in Williamsburg, VA.
James Madison University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. This public school is set in Harrisonburg, VA.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is a public school based in Blacksburg, VA.
University of Mary Washington did well this year, earning the #8 position. Located in Fredericksburg, VA, University of Mary Washington is a public institution.
Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #9 spot this year. Based in Richmond, VA, Virginia Commonwealth University is a public institution.
Randolph-Macon College landed the #10 spot this year. Based in Ashland, VA, Randolph-Macon College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Liberty University ranked #11 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. Based in Lynchburg, VA, Liberty University is a private not-for-profit institution.
George Mason University came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Located in Fairfax, VA, George Mason University is a public institution.
Old Dominion University came in at #13 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Norfolk, VA.
Shenandoah University landed the #14 spot this year. Located in Winchester, VA, Shenandoah University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Longwood University landed the #15 spot this year. Based in Farmville, VA, Longwood University is a public institution.
University of Lynchburg landed the #16 spot this year. Located in Lynchburg, VA, University of Lynchburg is a private not-for-profit institution.
Roanoke College did well this year, earning the #17 position. Based in Salem, VA, Roanoke College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Virginia Military Institute placed #18 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. This public school is set in Lexington, VA.
Radford University ranked #19 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. Located in Radford, VA, Radford University is a public institution.
Hampton University ranked #20 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. Located in Hampton, VA, Hampton University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Emory & Henry University came in at #21 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Emory, VA.
Regent University ranked #22 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Virginia Beach, VA.
Mary Baldwin University placed #23 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Staunton, VA.
Norfolk State University landed the #24 spot this year. This public school is set in Norfolk, VA.
Eastern Mennonite University came in at #25 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Harrisonburg, VA.
Not far behind, these colleges also placed near the top this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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.