by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 11 programs for Men’s Swimming & Diving in Plains States 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.
Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Use the shortcuts below.
Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than St Olaf College this year for Men's Swimming & Diving in Plains States. Located in Northfield, MN, St Olaf College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $5,926 in revenue per athlete, against $4,860 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Maryville University of Saint Louis earned the #2 place for student athletes. Maryville University of Saint Louis is a private not-for-profit school based in Saint Louis, MO. Team revenue averages $9,634 per participant, against $9,596 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $6,338 per athlete.
Gustavus Adolphus College is one of the top schools for Men's Swimming & Diving in Plains States, at #3. Located in Saint Peter, MN, Gustavus Adolphus College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,771, with expenses of about $4,771 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Missouri University of Science and Technology came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Swimming & Diving in Plains States. This public school is set in Rolla, MO. The program generates about $15,493 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $15,493 per participant. The school awards about $5,772 in athletic aid per athlete.
William Jewell College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving in Plains States. William Jewell College is a private not-for-profit school based in Liberty, MO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $12,986, against $12,052 in expenses. The school awards about $7,219 in athletic aid per athlete.
Truman State University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Truman State University is a public school based in Kirksville, MO. The program generates about $6,858 in revenue per athlete, compared with $6,858 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,206.
Loras College came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Based in Dubuque, IA, Loras College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $4,679 per participant, against $4,679 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Nebraska Wesleyan University did well this year, earning the #8 position. Nebraska Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lincoln, NE. Team revenue averages $2,786 per participant, with expenses of about $2,768 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Missouri-St Louis placed #9 among the best colleges for Men's Swimming & Diving in Plains States. This public school is set in Saint Louis, MO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,968, against $11,509 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $6,395 per athlete.
Simpson College came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Based in Indianola, IA, Simpson College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $3,919 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $4,087 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Coe College ranked #11 on our 2026 list for Men's Swimming & Diving in Plains States. This private not-for-profit school is set in Cedar Rapids, IA. Team revenue averages $7,935 per participant, against $7,935 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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.
