by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 9 colleges for Women’s Volleyball (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:
Bowdoin College tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Volleyball (Division III). Based in Brunswick, ME, Bowdoin College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,119, compared with $12,425 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Bates College earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Lewiston, ME, Bates College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $12,155, with expenses of about $11,440 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Colby College landed the #3 spot for Women's Volleyball (Division III). Colby College is a private not-for-profit school based in Waterville, ME. Team revenue averages $11,473 per participant, compared with $11,473 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Maine Maritime Academy earned the #4 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Castine, ME. Team revenue averages $9,067 per participant, with expenses of about $9,067 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of New England is one of the top schools for Women's Volleyball (Division III), at #5. University of New England is a private not-for-profit school based in Biddeford, ME. The program generates about $10,384 in revenue per athlete, compared with $8,954 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Husson University placed #6 among the best colleges for Women's Volleyball (Division III). Husson University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bangor, ME. Team revenue averages $7,718 per participant, compared with $7,286 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Thomas College ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Volleyball (Division III). Thomas College is a private not-for-profit school based in Waterville, ME. The program generates about $9,916 in revenue per athlete, compared with $9,916 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $244.
University of Southern Maine placed #8 among the best colleges for Women's Volleyball (Division III). Located in Portland, ME, University of Southern Maine is a public institution. Team revenue averages $7,307 per participant, against $7,327 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Maine at Presque Isle landed the #9 spot this year. Located in Presque Isle, ME, University of Maine at Presque Isle is a public institution. The program generates about $3,996 in revenue per athlete, compared with $3,996 spent per athlete. 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. 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.