by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 6 programs for Women’s Volleyball (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 Missouri-Columbia tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Volleyball (Division I). Located in Columbia, MO, University of Missouri-Columbia is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 71% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $138,591, against $138,591 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $16,637 per athlete.
Saint Louis University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Saint Louis, MO, Saint Louis University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 989, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 92%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $51,006, compared with $51,006 spent per athlete. The school awards about $13,446 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lindenwood University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Women's Volleyball (Division I). Based in Saint Charles, MO, Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, and a 95% Graduation Success Rate. About 73% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $27,350 per participant, with expenses of about $27,350 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,722.
University of Missouri-Kansas City came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Women's Volleyball (Division I). This public school is set in Kansas City, MO. University of Missouri-Kansas City records an NCAA APR of 995, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 57%. Team revenue averages $58,785 per participant, with expenses of about $58,053 per participant. The school awards about $13,225 in athletic aid per athlete.
Missouri State University-Springfield ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Volleyball (Division I). Based in Springfield, MO, Missouri State University-Springfield is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 995, alongside a GSR of 90%. The federal graduation rate stands at 67%. Team revenue averages $56,073 per participant, against $56,073 in expenses. The school awards about $12,364 in athletic aid per athlete.
Southeast Missouri State University did well this year, earning the #6 position. Located in Cape Girardeau, MO, Southeast Missouri State University is a public institution. Southeast Missouri State University records an NCAA APR of 995, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 80%. The program generates about $27,715 in revenue per athlete, against $27,715 in expenses. The school awards about $9,582 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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.