Best College Athletic Programs

Top Sports Colleges 

Each year, NCSA Power Rankings recognize the best college athletic programs, broken down by sport and division level. NCSA analyzed over 1,000 college athletic programs across five division levels (D1, FBS, FCS, D2, D3 and NAIA) to develop a list of the Best College Sports Programs for Student-Athletes. 

NCSA understands that the college experience includes more than just athletics for student-athletes. For this reason, NCSA uses a variety of data sources to compile our rankings. 

NCSA Power Rankings are based on proprietary analysis of NCSA Favorites data obtained from the college search activity of the over 3 million student-athletes on the NCSA recruiting network,  U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges general academic rankings, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard graduation rates and average cost after aid. 

For more information on the NCSA Power Rankings, visit our press kit or email us. 

View the full college sports rankings below and favorite to save your list of best athletic colleges. 

1

Stanford University

NCAA Division 1

$53,529 Tuition

$11,496 Avg. Cost After Aid

36,027 Favorites

5 General Rank

20 Grad Rank

Favorite

2

Princeton University

NCAA Division 1

$52,800 Tuition

$11,317 Avg. Cost After Aid

16,212 Favorites

1 General Rank

1 Grad Rank

Favorite

3

University of Florida

NCAA Division 1

$28,659 Tuition

$6,302 Avg. Cost After Aid

44,195 Favorites

28 General Rank

70 Grad Rank

Favorite

4

University of California - Los Angeles - UCLA

NCAA Division 1

$42,994 Tuition

$14,279 Avg. Cost After Aid

38,039 Favorites

19 General Rank

37 Grad Rank

Favorite

5

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

NCAA Division 1

$36,159 Tuition

$12,352 Avg. Cost After Aid

32,511 Favorites

28 General Rank

47 Grad Rank

Favorite

6

Harvard University

NCAA Division 1

$51,925 Tuition

$15,386 Avg. Cost After Aid

17,419 Favorites

1 General Rank

3 Grad Rank

Favorite

7

University of Michigan

NCAA Division 1

$51,200 Tuition

$15,336 Avg. Cost After Aid

31,466 Favorites

22 General Rank

28 Grad Rank

Favorite

8

University of California - Berkeley

NCAA Division 1

$44,007 Tuition

$15,329 Avg. Cost After Aid

25,430 Favorites

22 General Rank

33 Grad Rank

Favorite

9

Yale University

NCAA Division 1

$55,500 Tuition

$17,549 Avg. Cost After Aid

14,408 Favorites

5 General Rank

2 Grad Rank

Favorite

10

University of Georgia

NCAA Division 1

$31,120 Tuition

$13,649 Avg. Cost After Aid

33,652 Favorites

54 General Rank

76 Grad Rank

Favorite

11

Georgia Tech

NCAA Division 1

$33,794 Tuition

$14,739 Avg. Cost After Aid

20,146 Favorites

36 General Rank

53 Grad Rank

Favorite

12

Florida State University

NCAA Division 1

$18,786 Tuition

$9,789 Avg. Cost After Aid

39,079 Favorites

65 General Rank

116 Grad Rank

Favorite

13

Vanderbilt University

NCAA Division 1

$52,070 Tuition

$19,432 Avg. Cost After Aid

20,596 Favorites

13 General Rank

29 Grad Rank

Favorite

14

University of Virginia

NCAA Division 1

$50,900 Tuition

$20,397 Avg. Cost After Aid

22,023 Favorites

25 General Rank

15 Grad Rank

Favorite

15

Ohio State University

NCAA Division 1

$32,061 Tuition

$17,616 Avg. Cost After Aid

41,971 Favorites

54 General Rank

85 Grad Rank

Favorite

16

University of Texas - Austin

NCAA Division 1

$38,326 Tuition

$18,023 Avg. Cost After Aid

33,674 Favorites

36 General Rank

89 Grad Rank

Favorite

17

University of California - San Diego

NCAA Division 1

$44,169 Tuition

$14,232 Avg. Cost After Aid

10,800 Favorites

34 General Rank

74 Grad Rank

Favorite

18

University of Wisconsin

NCAA Division 1

$37,785 Tuition

$17,708 Avg. Cost After Aid

20,180 Favorites

42 General Rank

72 Grad Rank

Favorite

19

University of Washington

NCAA Division 1

$38,166 Tuition

$13,297 Avg. Cost After Aid

18,829 Favorites

77 General Rank

104 Grad Rank

Favorite

20

Rice University

NCAA Division 1

$49,112 Tuition

$16,999 Avg. Cost After Aid

9,216 Favorites

17 General Rank

32 Grad Rank

Favorite

21

Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT

NCAA Division 3

$53,790 Tuition

$16,636 Avg. Cost After Aid

6,489 Favorites

1 General Rank

9 Grad Rank

Favorite

22

University of California - Davis

NCAA Division 1

$44,249 Tuition

$14,669 Avg. Cost After Aid

10,510 Favorites

36 General Rank

79 Grad Rank

Favorite

23

Purdue University

NCAA Division 1

$28,794 Tuition

$13,986 Avg. Cost After Aid

16,874 Favorites

54 General Rank

138 Grad Rank

Favorite

24

University of Illinois

NCAA Division 1

$32,264 Tuition

$15,880 Avg. Cost After Aid

12,878 Favorites

47 General Rank

91 Grad Rank

Favorite

25

Duke University

NCAA Division 1

$58,031 Tuition

$27,020 Avg. Cost After Aid

39,664 Favorites

8 General Rank

17 Grad Rank

Favorite

26

University of California - Santa Barbara

NCAA Division 1

$44,145 Tuition

$15,884 Avg. Cost After Aid

12,127 Favorites

28 General Rank

112 Grad Rank

Favorite

27

Columbia University

NCAA Division 1

$61,788 Tuition

$23,306 Avg. Cost After Aid

13,323 Favorites

1 General Rank

7 Grad Rank

Favorite

28

University of California - Irvine

NCAA Division 1

$43,481 Tuition

$14,783 Avg. Cost After Aid

9,100 Favorites

36 General Rank

99 Grad Rank

Favorite

29

Northwestern University

NCAA Division 1

$56,691 Tuition

$24,664 Avg. Cost After Aid

15,743 Favorites

8 General Rank

24 Grad Rank

Favorite

30

University of Maryland

NCAA Division 1

$36,891 Tuition

$19,045 Avg. Cost After Aid

18,018 Favorites

77 General Rank

78 Grad Rank

Favorite

31

University of Pennsylvania - Penn

NCAA Division 1

$57,770 Tuition

$25,802 Avg. Cost After Aid

13,063 Favorites

8 General Rank

4 Grad Rank

Favorite

32

Indiana University

NCAA Division 1

$36,512 Tuition

$13,253 Avg. Cost After Aid

17,171 Favorites

92 General Rank

172 Grad Rank

Favorite

33

University of Notre Dame

NCAA Division 1

$55,553 Tuition

$33,025 Avg. Cost After Aid

29,682 Favorites

19 General Rank

5 Grad Rank

Favorite

34

Davidson College

NCAA Division 1

$53,166 Tuition

$19,115 Avg. Cost After Aid

9,590 Favorites

69 General Rank

38 Grad Rank

Favorite

35

Amherst College

NCAA Division 3

$58,640 Tuition

$18,524 Avg. Cost After Aid

5,964 Favorites

47 General Rank

7 Grad Rank

Favorite

36

North Carolina State University

NCAA Division 1

$29,220 Tuition

$16,458 Avg. Cost After Aid

25,090 Favorites

113 General Rank

140 Grad Rank

Favorite

37

William & Mary

NCAA Division 1

$46,854 Tuition

$19,800 Avg. Cost After Aid

8,084 Favorites

36 General Rank

49 Grad Rank

Favorite

38

Clemson University

NCAA Division 1

$38,550 Tuition

$20,008 Avg. Cost After Aid

43,312 Favorites

104 General Rank

111 Grad Rank

Favorite

39

Texas A&M University

NCAA Division 1

$38,602 Tuition

$19,057 Avg. Cost After Aid

36,712 Favorites

92 General Rank

141 Grad Rank

Favorite

40

University of Southern California

NCAA Division 1

$58,195 Tuition

$29,528 Avg. Cost After Aid

25,639 Favorites

25 General Rank

36 Grad Rank

Favorite

41

Georgetown University

NCAA Division 1

$56,058 Tuition

$28,909 Avg. Cost After Aid

15,053 Favorites

22 General Rank

13 Grad Rank

Favorite

42

University of Minnesota

NCAA Division 1

$33,325 Tuition

$17,740 Avg. Cost After Aid

13,727 Favorites

92 General Rank

119 Grad Rank

Favorite

43

Brown University

NCAA Division 1

$58,404 Tuition

$29,392 Avg. Cost After Aid

11,931 Favorites

13 General Rank

6 Grad Rank

Favorite

44

Virginia Tech

NCAA Division 1

$32,835 Tuition

$21,198 Avg. Cost After Aid

23,173 Favorites

104 General Rank

87 Grad Rank

Favorite

45

Boston College

NCAA Division 1

$57,910 Tuition

$35,899 Avg. Cost After Aid

19,865 Favorites

36 General Rank

23 Grad Rank

Favorite

46

Cornell University

NCAA Division 1

$57,222 Tuition

$40,126 Avg. Cost After Aid

14,985 Favorites

17 General Rank

18 Grad Rank

Favorite

47

Dartmouth College

NCAA Division 1

$57,638 Tuition

$33,574 Avg. Cost After Aid

11,138 Favorites

13 General Rank

10 Grad Rank

Favorite

48

Johns Hopkins University

NCAA Division 3

$55,350 Tuition

$29,342 Avg. Cost After Aid

10,052 Favorites

8 General Rank

30 Grad Rank

Favorite

49

Michigan State University

NCAA Division 1

$39,766 Tuition

$19,173 Avg. Cost After Aid

28,656 Favorites

123 General Rank

156 Grad Rank

Favorite

50

Wake Forest University

NCAA Division 1

$55,440 Tuition

$29,990 Avg. Cost After Aid

17,282 Favorites

28 General Rank

69 Grad Rank

Favorite

51

University of Chicago

NCAA Division 3

$60,552 Tuition

$27,315 Avg. Cost After Aid

6,543 Favorites

5 General Rank

14 Grad Rank

Favorite

52

Brigham Young University

NCAA Division 1

$5,790 Tuition

$13,322 Avg. Cost After Aid

8,364 Favorites

113 General Rank

185 Grad Rank

Favorite

53

University of Connecticut

NCAA Division 1

$39,894 Tuition

$22,012 Avg. Cost After Aid

11,087 Favorites

83 General Rank

98 Grad Rank

Favorite

54

Williams College

NCAA Division 3

$57,280 Tuition

$19,480 Avg. Cost After Aid

4,240 Favorites

47 General Rank

11 Grad Rank

Favorite

55

Emory University

NCAA Division 3

$53,804 Tuition

$23,734 Avg. Cost After Aid

5,920 Favorites

19 General Rank

51 Grad Rank

Favorite

56

Rutgers University

NCAA Division 1

$32,189 Tuition

$21,654 Avg. Cost After Aid

9,975 Favorites

83 General Rank

110 Grad Rank

Favorite

57

Tufts University

NCAA Division 3

$58,578 Tuition

$30,744 Avg. Cost After Aid

7,150 Favorites

28 General Rank

21 Grad Rank

Favorite

58

Villanova University

NCAA Division 1

$55,280 Tuition

$41,027 Avg. Cost After Aid

14,818 Favorites

54 General Rank

53 Grad Rank

Favorite

59

Boston University

NCAA Division 1

$55,892 Tuition

$30,259 Avg. Cost After Aid

10,741 Favorites

42 General Rank

68 Grad Rank

Favorite

60

University of Richmond

NCAA Division 1

$54,690 Tuition

$25,838 Avg. Cost After Aid

10,220 Favorites

81 General Rank

65 Grad Rank

Favorite

61

James Madison University

NCAA Division 1

$29,106 Tuition

$22,169 Avg. Cost After Aid

12,169 Favorites

137 General Rank

105 Grad Rank

Favorite

62

University of South Florida

NCAA Division 1

$17,324 Tuition

$8,355 Avg. Cost After Aid

19,284 Favorites

256 General Rank

230 Grad Rank

Favorite

63

Appalachian State University

NCAA Division 1

$22,216 Tuition

$13,920 Avg. Cost After Aid

14,158 Favorites

150 General Rank

269 Grad Rank

Favorite

64

Colgate University

NCAA Division 1

$58,045 Tuition

$25,834 Avg. Cost After Aid

6,630 Favorites

72 General Rank

45 Grad Rank

Favorite

65

Lehigh University

NCAA Division 1

$55,240 Tuition

$29,301 Avg. Cost After Aid

7,760 Favorites

54 General Rank

53 Grad Rank

Favorite

66

University of Miami

NCAA Division 1

$51,930 Tuition

$46,949 Avg. Cost After Aid

29,188 Favorites

65 General Rank

116 Grad Rank

Favorite

67

University of Pittsburgh

NCAA Division 1

$33,746 Tuition

$27,938 Avg. Cost After Aid

14,873 Favorites

77 General Rank

122 Grad Rank

Favorite

68

California State University - Long Beach

NCAA Division 1

$18,714 Tuition

$9,622 Avg. Cost After Aid

10,403 Favorites

184 General Rank

257 Grad Rank

Favorite

69

University of Oregon

NCAA Division 1

$36,615 Tuition

$16,461 Avg. Cost After Aid

29,593 Favorites

210 General Rank

240 Grad Rank

Favorite

70

University of Massachusetts - Amherst

NCAA Division 1

$35,710 Tuition

$22,501 Avg. Cost After Aid

9,298 Favorites

92 General Rank

139 Grad Rank

Favorite

71

Syracuse University

NCAA Division 1

$53,849 Tuition

$34,482 Avg. Cost After Aid

18,961 Favorites

77 General Rank

127 Grad Rank

Favorite

72

Pomona-Pitzer Colleges

NCAA Division 3

$54,762 Tuition

$17,458 Avg. Cost After Aid

3,072 Favorites

51 General Rank

26 Grad Rank

Favorite

73

Northeastern University

NCAA Division 1

$53,506 Tuition

$31,093 Avg. Cost After Aid

6,983 Favorites

54 General Rank

61 Grad Rank

Favorite

74

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

NCAA Division 1

$23,833 Tuition

$21,595 Avg. Cost After Aid

9,852 Favorites

137 General Rank

136 Grad Rank

Favorite

75

Washington University in St. Louis

NCAA Division 3

$55,292 Tuition

$26,869 Avg. Cost After Aid

4,220 Favorites

13 General Rank

16 Grad Rank

Favorite

76

Washington & Lee University

NCAA Division 3

$54,830 Tuition

$22,615 Avg. Cost After Aid

4,118 Favorites

64 General Rank

19 Grad Rank

Favorite

77

University of Delaware

NCAA Division 1

$35,710 Tuition

$17,220 Avg. Cost After Aid

6,470 Favorites

164 General Rank

157 Grad Rank

Favorite

78

Pepperdine University

NCAA Division 1

$55,892 Tuition

$36,996 Avg. Cost After Aid

8,445 Favorites

54 General Rank

83 Grad Rank

Favorite

79

Santa Clara University

NCAA Division 1

$53,634 Tuition

$38,327 Avg. Cost After Aid

6,504 Favorites

65 General Rank

40 Grad Rank

Favorite

80

Tulane University

NCAA Division 1

$56,800 Tuition

$37,841 Avg. Cost After Aid

7,298 Favorites

42 General Rank

82 Grad Rank

Favorite

81

University of Iowa

NCAA Division 1

$31,569 Tuition

$19,145 Avg. Cost After Aid

14,452 Favorites

123 General Rank

283 Grad Rank

Favorite

82

University of California - Riverside

NCAA Division 1

$43,607 Tuition

$12,871 Avg. Cost After Aid

4,784 Favorites

123 General Rank

216 Grad Rank

Favorite

83

Carnegie Mellon University

NCAA Division 3

$57,119 Tuition

$34,508 Avg. Cost After Aid

4,910 Favorites

25 General Rank

48 Grad Rank

Favorite

84

Swarthmore College

NCAA Division 3

$54,656 Tuition

$19,184 Avg. Cost After Aid

2,964 Favorites

47 General Rank

22 Grad Rank

Favorite

85

Texas Christian University

NCAA Division 1

$49,250 Tuition

$36,811 Avg. Cost After Aid

19,516 Favorites

123 General Rank

128 Grad Rank

Favorite

86

Bucknell University

NCAA Division 1

$58,196 Tuition

$42,502 Avg. Cost After Aid

8,400 Favorites

108 General Rank

50 Grad Rank

Favorite

87

Baylor University

NCAA Division 1

$47,364 Tuition

$36,039 Avg. Cost After Aid

30,782 Favorites

104 General Rank

179 Grad Rank

Favorite

88

Auburn University

NCAA Division 1

$31,124 Tuition

$24,104 Avg. Cost After Aid

35,836 Favorites

210 General Rank

170 Grad Rank

Favorite

89

New York University

NCAA Division 3

$53,308 Tuition

$39,772 Avg. Cost After Aid

6,004 Favorites

28 General Rank

94 Grad Rank

Favorite

90

Gonzaga University

NCAA Division 1

$45,140 Tuition

$33,793 Avg. Cost After Aid

9,438 Favorites

113 General Rank

97 Grad Rank

Favorite

91

Bowdoin College

NCAA Division 3

$56,350 Tuition

$21,910 Avg. Cost After Aid

3,116 Favorites

51 General Rank

12 Grad Rank

Favorite

92

Elon University

NCAA Division 1

$36,571 Tuition

$37,230 Avg. Cost After Aid

9,453 Favorites

123 General Rank

90 Grad Rank

Favorite

93

Penn State

NCAA Division 1

$35,514 Tuition

$27,372 Avg. Cost After Aid

36,831 Favorites

83 General Rank

306 Grad Rank

Favorite

94

California Institute of Technology

NCAA Division 3

$54,600 Tuition

$24,274 Avg. Cost After Aid

2,988 Favorites

8 General Rank

25 Grad Rank

Favorite

95

SUNY Stony Brook University

NCAA Division 1

$27,845 Tuition

$15,160 Avg. Cost After Aid

4,723 Favorites

164 General Rank

210 Grad Rank

Favorite

96

University of Utah

NCAA Division 1

$27,220 Tuition

$14,773 Avg. Cost After Aid

12,697 Favorites

210 General Rank

333 Grad Rank

Favorite

97

Middlebury College

NCAA Division 3

$56,216 Tuition

$25,656 Avg. Cost After Aid

3,496 Favorites

61 General Rank

31 Grad Rank

Favorite

98

Southern Methodist University - SMU

NCAA Division 1

$56,560 Tuition

$36,222 Avg. Cost After Aid

9,182 Favorites

92 General Rank

152 Grad Rank

Favorite

99

University of Tennessee

NCAA Division 1

$31,664 Tuition

$18,825 Avg. Cost After Aid

24,870 Favorites

256 General Rank

282 Grad Rank

Favorite

100

Butler University

NCAA Division 1

$42,360 Tuition

$37,645 Avg. Cost After Aid

10,775 Favorites

137 General Rank

133 Grad Rank

Favorite