Best Colleges for Student-Athletes | 2018 NCSA Power Rankings

NCSA Power Rankings recognize the “Best Colleges for Student-Athletes.“ Being a college student-athlete is about more than just sports, it is also about getting an education that will set you up for success for life. The NCSA Power Rankings breakdown schools by sport and division level, helping families identify potential colleges, no matter what type of school you might be considering after graduating from high school.

The 2018 NCSA Power Rankings are based on proprietary analyses using 2018 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges, 2016 IPEDS graduation rates and NCSA’s own “NCSA Favorites” which identify the schools current high school student-athletes want to attend.

For promotional materials and general information about NCSA Power Rankings, please visit our press kit.

Best Colleges for Student Athletes

Best Colleges ranks the Top 100 schools for student-athletes for all sports in all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Stanford University
3. University of Notre Dame
4. Harvard University
5. Princeton University

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Best Division 1 Colleges

Best Colleges Division 1 ranks the Top 100 Division 1 colleges and universities for student-athletes for all sports.

1. Duke University
2. Stanford University
3. University of Notre Dame
4. Harvard University
5. Princeton University

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Best Division 2 Colleges

Best Colleges Division 2 ranks the Top 100 Division 2 colleges and universities for student-athletes for all sports.

1. University of California - San Diego
2. Bentley University
3. Colorado School of Mines
4. Hillsdale College
5. Rollins College

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Best Division 3 Colleges

Best Colleges Division 3 ranks the Top 100 Division 3 colleges and universities for student-athletes for all sports.

1. Johns Hopkins University
2. Amherst College
3. University of Chicago
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
5. Tufts University

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Best NAIA Colleges

Best Colleges NAIA ranks the Top 100 NAIA colleges and universities for student-athletes for all sports.

1. Taylor University
2. Soka University of America
3. Westmont College
4. Dordt College
5. Northwestern College - Iowa

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Best Baseball Colleges

Best Baseball Colleges ranks the top Baseball Programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Vanderbilt University
3. Stanford University
4. University of Notre Dame
5. Harvard University

Best Division 1 Baseball Colleges

Best Division 2 Baseball Colleges

Best Division 3 Baseball Colleges

Best NAIA Baseball Colleges

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Best Men’s Basketball Colleges

Best Men's Basketball Colleges ranks the top Men’s Basketball Programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Stanford University
3. University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA)
4. Davidson College
5. Georgetown University

Best Division 1 Men’s Basketball Colleges

Best Division 2 Men’s Basketball Colleges

Best Division 3 Basketball Colleges

Best NAIA Basketball Colleges

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Best Women’s Basketball Colleges

Best Women’s Basketball Colleges ranks the top Women’s Basketball Programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Stanford University
3. University of Notre Dame
4. Columbia University
5. Brown University

Best Division 1 Women’s Basketball Colleges

Best Division 2 Women’s Basketball Colleges

Best Division 3 Women’s Basketball Colleges

Best NAIA Women’s Basketball Colleges

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Best Field Hockey Colleges

Best Field Hockey Colleges ranks the top Field Hockey Programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Columbia University
2. Duke University
3. Princeton University
4. Harvard University
5. Yale University

Best Division 1 Field Hockey Colleges

Best Division 2 Field Hockey Colleges

Best Division 3 Field Hockey Colleges

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Best Football Colleges

Best Football Colleges ranks the top Football programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Stanford University
3. University of Notre Dame
4. University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
5. University of Southern California

Best Division 1 Football Colleges

Best Division 2 Football Colleges

Best Division 3 Football Colleges

Best NAIA Football Colleges

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Best Men’s Golf Colleges

Best Men’s Golf Colleges ranks the top Men’s Golf programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Stanford University
3. University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
4. Vanderbilt University
5. University of Notre Dame

Best Division 1 Men’s Golf Colleges

Best Division 2 Men’s Golf Colleges

Best Division 3 Men’s Golf Colleges

Best NAIA Men’s Golf Colleges

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Best Women’s Golf Colleges

Best Women’s Golf Colleges ranks the top Women’s Golf programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Stanford University
2. Duke University
3. University of Notre Dame
4. Columbia University
5. Harvard University

Best Division 1 Women’s Golf Colleges

Best Division 2 Women’s Golf Colleges

Best Division 3 Women’s Golf Colleges

Best NAIA Women’s Golf Colleges

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Best Men’s Ice Hockey Colleges

Best Men’s Ice Hockey Colleges ranks the top Men’s Ice Hockey Programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Princeton University
2. University of Notre Dame
3. Harvard University
4. Boston College
5. University of Michigan

Best Division 1 Men’s Ice Hockey Colleges

Best Division 2 Men’s Ice Hockey Colleges

Best Division 3 Men’s Ice Hockey Colleges

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Best Women’s Ice Hockey Colleges

Best Women’s Ice Hockey Colleges ranks the top Women’s Ice Hockey Programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Harvard University
2. Yale University
3. Cornell University
4. Dartmouth University
5. Boston College

Best Division 1 Women’s Ice Hockey Colleges

Best Division 3 Women’s Ice Hockey Colleges

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Best Men’s Lacrosse Colleges

Best Men’s Lacrosse Colleges ranks the top Men’s Lacrosse programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. University of Notre Dame
3. Johns Hopkins University
4. Cornell University
5. Brown University

Best Division 1 Men’s Lacrosse Colleges

Best Division 2 Men’s Lacrosse Colleges

Best Division 3 Men’s Lacrosse Colleges

Best NAIA Men’s Lacrosse Colleges

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Best Women’s Lacrosse Colleges

Best Women’s Lacrosse Colleges ranks the top Women’s Lacrosse programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Columbia University
3. Harvard University
4. Princeton University
5. Johns Hopkins University

Best Division 1 Women’s Lacrosse Colleges

Best Division 2 Women’s Lacrosse Colleges

Best Division 3 Women’s Lacrosse Colleges

Best NAIA Women’s Lacrosse Colleges

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Best Women’s Rowing Colleges

Best Women’s Rowing Colleges ranks the top Women’s Rowing programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Princeton University
2. Harvard University
3. Stanford University
4. University of Pennyslvania (Penn)
5. Columbia University

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Best Men’s Soccer Colleges

Best Men’s Soccer Colleges ranks the top Men’s Soccer programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Stanford University
3. University of Notre Dame
4. University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
5. Columbia University

Best Division 1 Soccer Colleges

Best Division 2 Soccer Colleges

Best Division 3 Soccer Colleges

Best NAIA Soccer Colleges

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Best Women’s Soccer Colleges

Best Women’s Soccer Colleges ranks the top Women’s Soccer programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Stanford University
3. Yale University
4. University of Notre Dame
5. Harvard University

Best Division 1 Soccer Colleges

Best Division 2 Soccer Colleges

Best Division 3 Soccer Colleges

Best NAIA Soccer Colleges

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Best Softball Colleges

Best Softball Colleges ranks the top Softball programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Harvard University
2. Duke University
3. Stanford University
4. Dartmouth University
5. University of Notre Dame

Best Division 1 Softball Colleges

Best Division 2 Softball Colleges

Best Division 3 Softball Colleges

Best NAIA Softball Colleges

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Best Men’s Swimming Colleges

Best Men’s Swimming Colleges ranks the top Men’s Swimming programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Stanford University
2. Duke University
3. Harvard University
4. University of Notre Dame
5. Princeton University

Best Division 1 Men’s Swimming Colleges

Best Division 2 Men’s Swimming Colleges

Best Division 3 Men’s Swimming Colleges

Best NAIA Men’s Swimming Colleges

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Best Women’s Swimming Colleges

Best Women’s Swimming Colleges ranks the top Women’s Swimming programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Stanford University
2. Duke University
3. Harvard University
4. Columbia University
5. Princeton University

Best Division 1 Women’s Swimming Colleges

Best Division 2 Women’s Swimming Colleges

Best Division 3 Women’s Swimming Colleges

Best NAIA Women’s Swimming Colleges

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Best Men’s Tennis Colleges

Best Men’s Tennis Colleges ranks the top Men’s Tennis programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Princeton University
2. Duke University
3. Stanford University
4. University of Pennsylvania (Penn)
5. Harvard University

Best Division 1 Men’s Tennis Colleges

Best Division 2 Men’s Tennis Colleges

Best Division 3 Men’s Tennis Colleges

Best NAIA Men’s Tennis Colleges

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Best Women’s Tennis Colleges

Best Women’s Tennis Colleges ranks the top Women’s Tennis programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Harvard University
2. Columbia University
3. Duke University
4. Stanford University
5. Yale University

Best Division 1 Women’s Tennis Colleges

Best Division 2 Women’s Tennis Colleges

Best Division 3 Women’s Tennis Colleges

Best NAIA Women’s Tennis Colleges

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Best Men’s Track and Field Colleges

Best Men’s Track and Field Colleges ranks the top Men’s Track and Field programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Stanford University
2. Duke University
3. University of Pennsylvania (Penn)
4. Columbia University
5. University of Southern California

Best Division 1 Men’s Track and Field Colleges

Best Division 2 Men’s Track and Field Colleges

Best Division 3 Men’s Track and Field Colleges

Best NAIA Men’s Track and Field Colleges

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Best Women’s Track and Field Colleges

Best Women’s Track and Field Colleges ranks the top Women’s Track and Field programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Stanford University
3. Columbia University
4. Harvard University
5. Yale University

Best Division 1 Women’s Track and Field Colleges

Best Division 2 Women’s Track and Field Colleges

Best Division 3 Women’s Track and Field Colleges

Best NAIA Women’s Track and Field Colleges

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Best Women’s Volleyball Colleges

Best Women’s Volleyball Colleges ranks the top Volleyball programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Stanford University
2. Duke University
3. Columbia University
4. University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
5. University of Southern California

Best Division 1 Volleyball Colleges

Best Division 2 Volleyball Colleges

Best Division 3 Volleyball Colleges

Best NAIA Volleyball Colleges

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Best Women’s Beach Volleyball Colleges

Best Women’s Beach Volleyball Colleges ranks the top Beach Volleyball programs in the country for all divisions.

1. University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA)
2. Stanford University
3. University of California
4. Pepperdine University
5. Florida State University

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Best Men’s Volleyball Colleges

Best Men’s Volleyball Colleges ranks the Top Men’s Volleyball programs in the country for all divisions.

1. University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA)
2. Stanford University
3. University of Southern California
4. Princeton University
5. Harvard University

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Best Men’s Water Polo Colleges

Best Men’s Water Polo Colleges ranks the top Men’s Water Polo programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Stanford University
2. Harvard University
3. Princeton University
4. University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
5. University of California

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Best Women’s Water Polo Colleges

Best Women’s Water Polo Colleges ranks the top Women’s Water Polo programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Stanford University
2. University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
3. University of California
4. University of Southern California
5. Princeton University

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Best Men’s Wrestling Colleges

Best Men’s Wrestling Colleges ranks the top Men’s Wrestling programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Duke University
2. Cornell University
3. Stanford University
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
5. University of Michigan

Best Division 1 Men’s Wrestling Colleges

Best Division 2 Men’s Wrestling Colleges

Best Division 3 Men’s Wrestling Colleges

Best NAIA Men’s Wrestling Colleges

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Best Women’s Wrestling Colleges

Best Women’s Wrestling Colleges ranks the top Women’s Wrestling programs in the country for all divisions.

1. Pacific University
2. Oklahoma City University
3. Gannon University
4. North Central College
5. McKendree University

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College search: Find the best colleges for you

Student-athletes usually have a couple of dream schools in mind when they begin their recruiting journey. But the chances of those coaches recruiting their position and offering a scholarship might be fairly slim. That’s why we tell every student-athlete to research several programs and build a school list to maximize their opportunities and find the best college matches.

How do you do a college search

Starting early in high school, student-athletes should begin to build their list of potential colleges. This college list should include 5 safety schools, 10 target schools and 5 dream schools.

• Safety Schools: These are the types of schools you have on your list as a backup plan. You might get injured, the coach you want to play for could leave the program or any other number of problems. You need to make sure you have a plan for
• Target Schools: These are the schools where you have the most realistic chance of getting in and will be the right fit athletically.
• Dream Schools: Maybe this is a school that is a stretch academically, a school where you will need to improve significantly to qualify athletically or maybe it is going to be too expensive without significantly financial aid. You should have these dream schools on your list, but recognize, it is going to be a stretch to make them happen.

What to look for in a college

• Academics: Being offered an athletic scholarship doesn’t guarantee your acceptance into a school—you must qualify academically, too. If your GPA or test scores were to go up a few points, how many new doors would open? Then, think about what you’d like to study in college and how much time you need to focus on academics outside of your sport. Ask the coach how other athletes manage their course loads and see if anyone is studying your major. You can use Parchment's website to easily compare where your grades and test scores stand among other students, and see your chances of being admitted into a college.
• Athletics: While Division 1 offers a high level of competition, less than .2 percent of high school athletes go on to play at that level. Focus your efforts on finding the division level you fit in most. You want to target schools where you can make a valuable contribution to the team. That might be Division 2, Division 3, NAIA or even junior colleges, all of which offer great opportunities and scholarships. Learn the difference between the divisions (read more on that here) to understand which one is right for you.
• Your personal preferences: This will be your home for the next four years, so you’ll want to settle in. Soak in the environment when you go on campus visits, including the location, school size, dorms and social vibe. Ask other students what they like about living on campus to see if you can picture yourself being there. Don’t forget to consider how far you are from home and even the weather. It’s beneficial to keep a checklist going of which personal preferences matter to you most as you start researching schools.
• Cost: How much aid are you eligible to receive and can you afford the school without an athletic scholarship? You always want to keep these factors top-of-mind when pursuing programs.

What division level is right for you?

The majority of scholarship athletes compete outside of Division 1, it’s important to include a mix of Division 2, Division 3 and NAIA schools on your college lists. In fact, while 56 percent of Division 1 athletes receive some form of aid, 61 percent of Division 2 and 82 percent of Division 3 college athletes receive aid or need-based scholarships. The right division level for you comes down to what you are looking for in college.

• NCAA Division 1: These programs are highly competitive and being an athlete is considered a full-time job. There are more than 330 D1 schools and they typically offer partial or full scholarships, but less than .8 percent of high school athletes play at this level.
• NCAA Division 2: These programs tend to be a mix of private and public schools that are smaller to mid-sized. There are more than 300 D2 programs, all of which offer athletic scholarships. Athletes typically find a balance among their academics, athletics and social life at these institutions.
• NCAA Division 3: There are more than 440 D3 schools and 81 percent of them are private institutions. In general, they tend to be smaller schools. D3 offers athletes more free time so they can have a well-rounded college experience.
• NAIA: The average NAIA school has 2,000 students and there are more than 250 programs nationwide. Like Division 3, these schools are smaller.
• Junior College: Junior colleges offer a 2-year associate degree, and most can offer scholarships. For many athletes, junior college is an opportunity to improve and grow, while discovering different subjects they’d like to major in.

25 Questions to ask when researching a college

1. What do I want to major in? Does the college offer my major?
2. Have other athletes graduated with my major?
3. How academically selective would I like the college to be?
4. Do my grades and test scores fit within the requirements?
5. What kind of academic support would I need?
6. What teacher-to-student ratio works best for me?
7. Which division reflects my key stats and athletic ability?
8. Do I want to play for a consistently winning/top conference team?
9. Would I consider walking on to an athletic program?
10. Which coaching style and training program do I respond to best?
11. Do I need a lot of playing time?
12. Is the coach recruiting my position, or have they offered scholarships to anyone in my position?
13. How much offseason training is required?
14. Do I want to stay close to home? Or am I willing to go out of state?
15. What is the weather like there? Do I care?
16. Which kind of campus environment suits me best—social, commuter, or quiet campus?
17. What school size feels right to me—less than 5,000 students, more than 15,000, or somewhere in between?
18. What kind of housing situation do I want?
19. How much free time would I like to have outside of sports?
20. Do I want to study abroad, or travel?
21. What can I afford, and how much debt would I go into?
22. What kind of athletic scholarship would be required to make a school affordable?
23. How much do I need in grants and other academic aid?
24. Would I consider a private school?
25. Am I interested in a specialized college, such a religious school or military academy?

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