by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 6 schools for Women’s Volleyball (Division I) 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.
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Leading the list is Boston College, our #1 college for Women's Volleyball (Division I). Based in Chestnut Hill, MA, Boston College is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 989, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 86%. The program generates about $102,724 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $102,724 per participant. Athletic aid averages $29,391 per athlete.
Northeastern University landed the #2 spot for Women's Volleyball (Division I). Located in Boston, MA, Northeastern University is a private not-for-profit institution. Northeastern University records an NCAA APR of 984, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 69% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $79,896 in revenue per athlete, compared with $79,896 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $24,558.
Harvard University earned the #3 place for student athletes. Located in Cambridge, MA, Harvard University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $29,764, with expenses of about $29,764 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Merrimack College landed the #4 spot for Women's Volleyball (Division I). Based in North Andover, MA, Merrimack College is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 993, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 93% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $27,521, compared with $27,521 spent per athlete. The school awards about $20,394 in athletic aid per athlete.
College of the Holy Cross came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Volleyball (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Worcester, MA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 980, and a 91% Graduation Success Rate. About 77% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $56,241, against $56,241 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $17,801 per athlete.
Stonehill College came in at #6 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Easton, MA. Stonehill College records an NCAA APR of 992, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 93%. The program generates about $20,441 in revenue per athlete, against $20,441 in expenses. The school awards about $14,278 in athletic aid 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.