by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 15 colleges for Men’s Swimming & Diving (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Pick a path below.
Explore the leading programs below:
DePauw University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Based in Greencastle, IN, DePauw University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $6,227 per participant, with expenses of about $6,227 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
John Carroll University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in University Heights, OH, John Carroll University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $6,525 per participant, against $6,525 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Illinois Institute of Technology came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Based in Chicago, IL, Illinois Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $5,357 per participant, against $5,357 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Hanover College came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Based in Hanover, IN, Hanover College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $8,224 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $8,224 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
North Central College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Based in Naperville, IL, North Central College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,951, with expenses of about $3,028 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Alma College placed #6 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Located in Alma, MI, Alma College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $8,047 per participant, compared with $8,047 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Beloit College ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Located in Beloit, WI, Beloit College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $5,566 in revenue per athlete, against $5,566 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Franklin College placed #8 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Based in Franklin, IN, Franklin College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $8,085 per participant, with expenses of about $8,029 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Mount Union placed #9 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Located in Alliance, OH, University of Mount Union is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $5,221 in revenue per athlete, against $5,221 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Ripon College did well this year, earning the #10 position. Located in Ripon, WI, Ripon College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,226, with expenses of about $8,067 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Illinois College did well this year, earning the #11 position. Illinois College is a private not-for-profit school based in Jacksonville, IL. Team revenue averages $6,525 per participant, compared with $6,525 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Albion College landed the #12 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Albion, MI. Team revenue averages $9,077 per participant, with expenses of about $8,617 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Heidelberg University placed #13 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Located in Tiffin, OH, Heidelberg University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,205, compared with $13,205 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Millikin University landed the #14 spot this year. Millikin University is a private not-for-profit school based in Decatur, IL. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,832, compared with $7,832 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.