by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 8 programs for Women’s Volleyball (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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.
Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Jump to the options below.
Explore the leading programs below:
University of Kentucky earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Volleyball (Division I). Located in Lexington, KY, University of Kentucky is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 82%. The program generates about $214,353 in revenue per athlete, against $214,353 in expenses. The school awards about $23,921 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Louisville landed the #2 spot for Women's Volleyball (Division I). University of Louisville is a public school based in Louisville, KY. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 75%. Team revenue averages $637,975 per participant, compared with $179,948 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $21,083 per athlete.
Western Kentucky University came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Volleyball (Division I). Based in Bowling Green, KY, Western Kentucky University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 82%. The program generates about $90,090 in revenue per athlete, against $90,090 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $14,243.
Eastern Kentucky University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Volleyball (Division I). This public school is set in Richmond, KY. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 69% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $51,464 in revenue per athlete, against $51,464 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $12,644.
Bellarmine University earned the #5 place for student athletes. Based in Louisville, KY, Bellarmine University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 92%. Its federal graduation rate is 83%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $48,266, with expenses of about $48,266 per participant. The school awards about $10,105 in athletic aid per athlete.
Murray State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Volleyball (Division I). This public school is set in Murray, KY. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 989, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 70% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $51,397 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $43,530 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $11,774.
Northern Kentucky University landed the #7 spot this year. Based in Highland Heights, KY, Northern Kentucky University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 93%. The federal graduation rate stands at 86%. Team revenue averages $45,438 per participant, compared with $45,438 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,809.
Morehead State University placed #8 among the best colleges for Women's Volleyball (Division I). Located in Morehead, KY, Morehead State University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 85%. The program generates about $46,509 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $46,548 per participant. Athletic aid averages $4,170 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.