by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 7 programs for Women’s Swimming & Diving (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual evaluates each program using 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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Washington and Lee University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Washington and Lee University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lexington, VA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,085, with expenses of about $5,833 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Randolph-Macon College landed the #2 spot for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Located in Ashland, VA, Randolph-Macon College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,801, compared with $5,800 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Lynchburg earned the #3 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Lynchburg, VA. Team revenue averages $7,159 per participant, against $7,159 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Roanoke College ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Roanoke College is a private not-for-profit school based in Salem, VA. The program generates about $3,711 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $3,711 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Randolph College came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Located in Lynchburg, VA, Randolph College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $5,849 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $5,849 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Virginia Wesleyan University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Swimming & Diving (Division III). Virginia Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit school based in Virginia Beach, VA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,518, compared with $4,518 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Southern Virginia University did well this year, earning the #7 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Buena Vista, VA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,678, with expenses of about $5,678 per participant. The school awards about $90 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.