by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 7 schools for Men’s Swimming & Diving (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual weighs 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:
Catawba College earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division II). Catawba College is a private not-for-profit school based in Salisbury, NC. The program generates about $21,564 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $21,064 per participant. The school awards about $9,164 in athletic aid per athlete.
Wingate University landed the #2 spot for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division II). Wingate University is a private not-for-profit school based in Wingate, NC. Team revenue averages $24,579 per participant, with expenses of about $22,745 per participant. The school awards about $6,748 in athletic aid per athlete.
Barton College ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division II). Located in Wilson, NC, Barton College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $10,503 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $10,503 per participant. The school awards about $6,654 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lenoir-Rhyne University earned the #4 place for student athletes. Lenoir-Rhyne University is a private not-for-profit school based in Hickory, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,783, with expenses of about $7,783 per participant. Athletic aid averages $7,094 per athlete.
Lees-McRae College is one of the top schools for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division II), at #5. Based in Banner Elk, NC, Lees-McRae College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $21,035 per participant, against $21,035 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,547.
Mars Hill University placed #6 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division II). Located in Mars Hill, NC, Mars Hill University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $12,747 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $12,747 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,311.
Chowan University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Chowan University is a private not-for-profit school based in Murfreesboro, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,818, against $8,818 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,571.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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.