by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 8 schools for Men’s Swimming & Diving (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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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Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than William & Mary this year for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division I). This public school is set in Williamsburg, VA. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 994, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 100%. Team revenue averages $44,769 per participant, against $9,898 in expenses. The school awards about $15,943 in athletic aid per athlete.
Florida State University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Tallahassee, FL, Florida State University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 997, alongside a GSR of 84%. The federal graduation rate stands at 64%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $39,673, against $39,673 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,364.
University of Louisville landed the #3 spot for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division I). Located in Louisville, KY, University of Louisville is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 976, alongside a GSR of 94%. About 79% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $3,820 in revenue per athlete, against $47,154 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $21,083.
Bellarmine University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division I). Located in Louisville, KY, Bellarmine University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 69% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $12,849 in revenue per athlete, against $12,849 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $10,105 per athlete.
Old Dominion University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division I). Based in Norfolk, VA, Old Dominion University is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 963, alongside a GSR of 83%. About 67% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $20,506 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $20,506 per participant. The school awards about $24,728 in athletic aid per athlete.
Queens University of Charlotte did well this year, earning the #6 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Charlotte, NC. The team's NCAA APR score is 995, and a 68% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 73%. Team revenue averages $20,831 per participant, compared with $20,831 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $13,282 per athlete.
Gardner-Webb University placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division I). Gardner-Webb University is a private not-for-profit school based in Boiling Springs, NC. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 958, alongside a GSR of 90%. The federal graduation rate stands at 73%. Team revenue averages $24,596 per participant, compared with $24,596 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $14,936.
Northern Kentucky University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division I). This public school is set in Highland Heights, KY. Northern Kentucky University records an NCAA APR of 969. The program generates about $12,762 in revenue per athlete, compared with $12,762 spent per athlete. The school awards about $6,809 in athletic aid per athlete.
*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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.