by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 10 colleges for Women’s Swimming & Diving (Division III) 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:
No school ranked higher than Brandeis University this year for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Based in Waltham, MA, Brandeis University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,871, against $9,871 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Roger Williams University landed the #2 spot for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Roger Williams University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bristol, RI. The program generates about $5,108 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $4,767 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Gordon College earned the #3 place for student athletes. Located in Wenham, MA, Gordon College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $2,724 per participant, with expenses of about $2,284 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Located in North Dartmouth, MA, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,092, with expenses of about $14,745 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of New England ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Based in Biddeford, ME, University of New England is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,859, with expenses of about $3,853 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Eastern Connecticut State University landed the #6 spot this year. Located in Willimantic, CT, Eastern Connecticut State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $4,763 per participant, with expenses of about $4,763 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Western New England University placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Western New England University is a private not-for-profit school based in Springfield, MA. Team revenue averages $2,354 per participant, compared with $1,808 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Plymouth State University did well this year, earning the #8 position. This public school is set in Plymouth, NH. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,578, compared with $3,620 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Rhode Island College did well this year, earning the #9 position. Based in Providence, RI, Rhode Island College is a public institution. Team revenue averages $3,031 per participant, with expenses of about $3,031 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Albertus Magnus College landed the #10 spot this year. Albertus Magnus College is a private not-for-profit school based in New Haven, CT. The program generates about $3,457 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $3,457 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Programs are scored on 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.