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 programs for Women’s Swimming & Diving (Division I) 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:
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division I). This public school is set in Pittsburgh, PA. The team's NCAA APR score is 997, and a 96% Graduation Success Rate. About 85% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $59,866 in revenue per athlete, compared with $59,866 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $30,613.
Drexel University is one of the top schools for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division I), at #2. Based in Philadelphia, PA, Drexel University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 997, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 92%. The program generates about $30,059 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $30,059 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $25,843.
Mount St. Mary's University came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Emmitsburg, MD. Mount St. Mary's University records an NCAA APR of 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 91%. Team revenue averages $40,022 per participant, compared with $40,022 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $12,910.
Saint Francis University is one of the top schools for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division I), at #4. Based in Loretto, PA, Saint Francis University is a private not-for-profit institution. Student-athletes graduate at a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 75%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $24,022, against $24,022 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $13,253 per athlete.
Monmouth University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in West Long Branch, NJ. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 985, and a 88% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 67%. Team revenue averages $23,091 per participant, with expenses of about $23,091 per participant. Athletic aid averages $20,376 per athlete.
Niagara University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division I). Located in Niagara University, NY, Niagara University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 991, with a Graduation Success Rate of 93%. About 81% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,079, against $15,079 in expenses. The school awards about $17,462 in athletic aid per athlete.
Manhattan University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division I). Manhattan University is a private not-for-profit school based in Riverdale, NY. The team's NCAA APR score is 994, with a Graduation Success Rate of 93%. Its federal graduation rate is 82%. Team revenue averages $14,305 per participant, compared with $14,220 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $14,484.
Saint Peter's University landed the #8 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Jersey City, NJ. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 60% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,056, with expenses of about $9,056 per participant. The school awards about $10,025 in athletic aid per athlete.
*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.