List of Colleges with Varsity Esports Programs
Here is a list of colleges that offer esports at the varsity level. As you conduct your research and narrow down your list of schools, keep in mind that tuition cost, financial aid, esports scholarships, and grants should also be an important part of the process. Tuition can vary wildly between colleges, as well as scholarship and financial aid amounts, so make sure to crunch the numbers and plan the financial commitments you and your family will have to make.
College esports leagues
There are several college esports leagues. 175 colleges and universities are members of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) and offer officially recognized varsity esports programs. These schools have coaches and offer partial or full-ride athletic scholarships. 314 schools hold active Tespa chapters across the north, south, east, west and developing regions. These clubs compete in Tespa leagues and give gamers the chance to win scholarships in prize money.
With few industry rules and regulations, schools are free to participate across the board. Varsity esports teams regularly compete against gaming clubs in tournaments and league play. However, NACE schools officially recognize and support their college esports teams as official varsity-level athletic programs.
Best Gaming Colleges
The best colleges and universities for varsity esports have a tradition of excellence and support from the administration to grow and develop the program. Across the country, some of the best gaming colleges include Maryville, Robert Morris, Miami (Ohio), California-Irvine, Utah, Ashland and Harrisburg University.
Esports Colleges
School
City and State
Region
Conference
Division
Albright College
Reading, PA
North East
Commonwealth Conference (Division III), Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Alma College
Alma, MI
Great Lakes
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (Division III)
NACE
Aquinas College - Michigan
Grand Rapids, MI
Great Lakes
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Arcadia University
Glenside, PA
North East
Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Association
NACE
Arizona Christian University
Phoenix, AZ
South West
Golden State Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Arkansas State University
Jonesboro, AR
Mid South
Sun Belt Conference (Division I, Football I-A)
NACE
Ashland University
Ashland, OH
Great Lakes
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II)
NACE
Averett University
Danville, VA
Mid East
USA South Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Baker University
Baldwin City, KS
Mid West
Member of Heart of America Athletic Conference (NAIA).
NACE
Barry University
Miami, FL
South East
Sunshine State Conference (Division II)
NACE
Barton College
Wilson, NC
Mid East
Conference Carolinas (Division II)
NACE
Bay State College
Boston, MA
New England
NACE
Bellevue University
Bellevue, NE
Mid West
Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Bethany Lutheran College
Mankato, MN
Mid West
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NACE
Boise State University
Boise, ID
North West
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (Division II), Mountain West Conference (Division I, Football I-A)
NACE
Brescia University
Owensboro, KY
Mid East
NAIA, Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NACE
Bryant & Stratton College - Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI
Great Lakes
Independent
NACE
Bryant & Stratton College - Virginia
Virginia Beach, VA
Mid East
NJCAA
NACE
Campbellsville University
Campbellsville, KY
Mid East
NAIA, Mid-South Conference
NACE
Carl Albert State College
Poteau, OK
Mid South
NJCAA
NACE
Carl Sandburg College
Galesburg, IL
Great Lakes
NJCAA
NACE
Catawba College
Salisbury, NC
Mid East
South Atlantic Conference (Division II), Deep South Lacrosse Conference
NACE
Cazenovia College
Cazenovia, NY
North East
North Eastern Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Central Christian College of Kansas
McPherson, KS
Mid West
Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Central Maine Community College
Auburn, ME
New England
Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC)
NACE
Central Methodist University
Fayette, MO
Mid West
Heart of America Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Centralia College
Centralia, WA
West Coast
NJCAA
NACE
Cincinnati Christian University
Cincinnati, OH
Great Lakes
NAIA, NCCAA
NACE
Clarke University
Dubuque, IA
Mid West
Midwestern Collegiate Conference
NACE
Coker University
Hartsville, SC
South East
South Atlantic Conference (NCAA Division II)
NACE
College of St. Joseph
Rutland, VT
New England
NAIA, Yankee Small College Conference
NACE
Columbia College - Missouri
Columbia, MO
Mid West
American Midwest Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Concord University
Athens, WV
Mid East
West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II)
NACE
Concordia University - Texas
Austin, TX
Mid South
American Southwest Conference (Division III)
NACE
Concordia University, St. Paul - Minnesota
Saint Paul, MN
Mid West
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (Division II)
NACE
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, IA
Mid West
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Culver-Stockton College
Canton, MO
Mid West
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NACE
Dakota Wesleyan University
Mitchell, SD
North West
Member of Great Plains Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Davenport University
Grand Rapids, MI
Great Lakes
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)
NACE
Defiance College
Defiance, OH
Great Lakes
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Delaware Valley University
Doylestown, PA
North East
Freedom Conference (Division III), Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
DeSales University
Center Valley, PA
North East
Freedom Conference (Division III), Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Dickinson State University
Dickinson, ND
North West
Dakota Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Drury University
Springfield, MO
Mid West
Great Lakes Valley Conference (Division II)
NACE
East Coast Polytechnic Institute
Richmond, VA
Mid East
NACE
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN
Mid East
Atlantic Sun Conference (Division I)
NACE
Edgewood College
Madison, WI
Great Lakes
Northern Athletic Conference
NACE
Edinboro University
Edinboro, PA
North East
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (Division II), MAC (Wrestling)
NACE
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Daytona Beach, FL
South East
NCAA DII, Sunshine State Conference
NACE
Florida Southern College
Lakeland, FL
South East
Sunshine State Conference (Division II)
NACE
Fontbonne University
St. Louis, MO
Mid West
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Fort Scott Community College
Fort Scott, KS
Mid West
NACE
Full Sail University
Winter Park, FL
South East
NACE
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA
South East
Sun Belt Conference (Division I)
NACE
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZ
South West
Western Athletic Conference - WAC (Division I1), Rocky Mountain Athlete Conference (Division I), MIVA
NACE
Grand View University
Des Moines, IA
Mid West
Midwest Collegiate Conference (NAIA), Mid-States Football Association (NAIA)
NACE
Harrisburg University
Harrisburg, PA
North East
NACE
Hartwick College
Oneonta, NY
North East
Mid-American Conference (Division I for soccer), Collegiate Water Polo Association (Division I), Empire Eight (Division III)
NACE
Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo, IA
Mid West
NACE
Highland Community College - Illinois
Freeport, IL
Great Lakes
NJCAA, Arrowhead Conference
NACE
Highland Community College - Kansas
Highland, KS
Mid West
NJCAA, Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference
NACE
Hocking College
Nelsonville, OH
Great Lakes
NACE
Hood College
Frederick, MD
North East
Middle Atlantic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Illinois College
Jacksonville, IL
Great Lakes
Midwest Conference (Division III)
NACE
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, IL
Great Lakes
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (Division III)
NACE
Indiana Institute of Technology
Fort Wayne, IN
Great Lakes
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Iowa Central Community College
Fort Dodge, IA
Mid West
NJCAA
NACE
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
North East
Landmark Conference (Division III), Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (Division I)
NACE
Kansas Wesleyan University
Salina, KS
Mid West
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Keiser University
West Palm Beach, FL
South East
NAIA, Sun Conference
NACE
King University - Tennessee
Bristol, TN
Mid East
NCAA-II, Conference Carolinas
NACE
Lackawanna College
Scranton, PA
North East
NJCAA
NACE
Lebanon Valley College
Annville, PA
North East
Commonwealth Conference (Division III), Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Lees-McRae College
Banner Elk, NC
Mid East
Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference (Division II), Deep South Lacrosse Conference (Division II)
NACE
Limestone College
Gaffney, SC
South East
Conference Carolinas (Division II), Blue Grass Mountain Conference
NACE
Lourdes University
Sylvania, OH
Great Lakes
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NACE
Lyon College
Batesville, AR
Mid South
American Midwest Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Marietta College
Marietta, OH
Great Lakes
Ohio Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Marion Technical College
Marion, OH
Great Lakes
NULL
NACE
Maryville University
Saint Louis, MO
Mid West
Great Lakes Valley Conference NCAA Division II
NACE
McMurry University
Abilene, TX
Mid South
Heartland Conference (Division II)
NACE
McPherson College
McPherson, KS
Mid West
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Menlo College
Atherton, CA
West Coast
Northwest Conference (Division III, football), California Pacific Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Miami University
Oxford, OH
Great Lakes
National Collegiate Hockey Conference (Division I); Mid-America Conference (Division I, Football I-A), U.S. Figure Skating Association
NACE
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI
Great Lakes
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II), Western Collegiate Hockey Association (Division I)
NACE
Midland University
Fremont, NE
Mid West
Great Plains Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Milligan College
Milligan College, TN
Mid East
NAIA, Appalachian Athletic Conference
NACE
Misericordia University
Dallas, PA
North East
Middle Atlantic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Missouri Baptist University
Saint Louis, MO
Mid West
American Midwest Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Missouri State University - West Plains
West Plains, MO
Mid West
NJCAA
NACE
Missouri Valley College
Marshall, MO
Mid West
Heart of America Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Molloy College
Rockville Centre, NY
North East
East Cost Conference, ECAC
NACE
Morningside College
Sioux City, IA
Mid West
Great Plains Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Mount St. Joseph University
Cincinnati, OH
Great Lakes
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Mount St. Mary's University
Emmitsburg, MD
North East
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (Division I), Northeast Conference (Division I)
NACE
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Mount Vernon, OH
Great Lakes
American Mideast Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Muskingum University
New Concord, OH
Great Lakes
Ohio Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
NCSA
Chicago, IL
Great Lakes
NACE
NCWA - Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA
South East
NCWA
NACE
New England College
Henniker, NH
New England
Commonwealth Coast Conference (Division III), ECAC Hockey (Division III), ECAC Women's Hockey (Division III)
NACE
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM
South West
Independent (Division I, Football I-A)
NACE
Newberry College
Newberry, SC
South East
South Atlantic Conference (Division II)
NACE
Nichols College
Dudley, MA
New England
Commonwealth Conference (Division III), ECAC Hockey (Division III), ECAC Women's Hockey (Division III), New England Football Conference (Division III)
NACE
North Central Missouri College
Trenton, MO
Mid West
NJCAA
NACE
Northcentral Technical College
Wausau, WI
Great Lakes
NACE
Northern Virginia Community College
Annandale, VA
Mid East
NACE
Northwest Christian University
Eugene, OR
West Coast
NAIA
NACE
Northwood University - Michigan
Midland, MI
Great Lakes
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II)
NACE
Ohio Christian University
Circleville, OH
Great Lakes
NAIA (Division 2)/NCCAA Mid-East Region, (OCAC) Ohio Collegiate Athletic Conference
NACE
Ohio Northern University
Ada, OH
Great Lakes
Ohio Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
Great Lakes
Big Ten Conference (Division I, Football I-A), Central Collegiate Hockey Association (Division I), Great Western Lacrosse League (Division I), Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (Division I), Western Collegiate Hockey Association (Division I)
Independent
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City, OK
Mid South
Sooner Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, IL
Great Lakes
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR
West Coast
Cascade Collegiate Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS
Mid West
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Park University
Parkville, MO
Mid West
Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Williamsport, PA
North East
Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference, U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association
NACE
Pratt Community College
Pratt, KS
Mid West
NJCAA
NACE
Principia College
Elsah, IL
Great Lakes
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Randolph-Macon College
Ashland, VA
Mid East
Old Dominion Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Robert Morris University - Illinois
Chicago, IL
Great Lakes
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC)
NACE
Robert Morris University - Pennsylvania
Moon Township, PA
North East
College Hockey America (Division I, Womens Ice Hockey only), Metro Atlantic Athletic (Division I, Rowing only), Northeast Conference (Division I, Football FCS), Atlantic Hockey (Division I, Mens Ice Hockey only).
NACE
Rogers State University
Claremore, OK
Mid South
Heartland Conference (Division II)
NACE
Saint Francis University
Loretto, PA
North East
Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (Division I)
NACE
Savannah College of Art & Design
Savannah, GA
South East
Florida Sun Conference (Division III)
NACE
Schreiner University
Kerrville, TX
Mid South
Member of American Southwest Conference (Division III).
NACE
Shawnee State University
Portsmouth, OH
Great Lakes
Mid South Conference
NACE
Shenandoah University
Winchester, VA
Mid East
USA South Athletic Conference (Division III), Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (Division III), Commonwealth Conference, Colonial States Athletics Conference, Middle Atlantic Conference
NACE
Siena Heights University
Adrian, MI
Great Lakes
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
NACE
Southeastern University
Lakeland, FL
South East
The Sun Conference - NAIA (Division I), NCCAA (DI)
NACE
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, NH
New England
Northeast-10 Conference (Division II)
NACE
Southwestern Oregon Community College
Coos Bay, OR
West Coast
NWAACC
NACE
St. Ambrose University
Davenport, IA
Mid West
Mid-States Football Association (NAIA), Midwest Classic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
St. Andrews University
Laurinburg, NC
Mid East
Appalachian Athletic Conference (NAIA), Deep South Lacrosse Conference
NACE
St. Louis College of Pharmacy
Saint Louis, MO
Mid West
NAIA
NACE
St. Thomas Aquinas College
Sparkill, NY
North East
New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (Division II)
NACE
St. Thomas University - Florida
Miami, FL
South East
NAIA, Florida Sun Conference
NACE
Stephens College
Columbia, MO
Mid West
American Midwest Conference
NACE
Stevenson University
Stevenson, MD
North East
Capital Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
SUNY Canton
Canton, NY
North East
NCAA Division III
NACE
SUNY Purchase College
Purchase, NY
North East
NCAA, Skyline Conference (Division III), ECAC
NACE
Sussex County Community College
Newton, NJ
North East
NJCAA
NACE
Texas A&M University - San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Mid South
NACE
Texas Wesleyan University
Fort Worth, TX
Mid South
Red River Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
Thomas College
Waterville, ME
New England
New England Women's Lacrosse Alliance (Division III), North Atlantic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Tiffin University
Tiffin, OH
Great Lakes
Great Midwest Athletic Conference
Independent
Trine University
Angola, IN
Great Lakes
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (Division III)
NACE
Union County College
Cranford, NJ
North East
NJCAA
NACE
University of Antelope Valley
Lancaster, CA
West Coast
(NAIA DII, Cal Pac)
NACE
University of California - Irvine
Irvine, CA
West Coast
Big West Conference (Division I, Football I-A);Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (Division I)
Independent
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, MO
Mid West
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (Division II)
NACE
University of Hawaii Maui College
Kahului, HI
West Coast
NACE
University of Jamestown
Jamestown, ND
North West
Association of Independent Institutions (AII)
NACE
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO
Mid West
Southeastern Conference (Division I, Football I-A)
NACE
University of Montana
Missoula, MT
North West
Big Sky Conference (Division I, Football I-AA)
NACE
University of Montevallo
Montevallo, AL
South East
Peach Belt Conference (Division II)
NACE
University of Mount Union
Alliance, OH
Great Lakes
Ohio Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
University of North Texas
Denton, TX
Mid South
Conference USA (Division I, Football I-A); NCWA Wrestling
NACE
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK
Mid South
Big 12 Conference (Division I, Football I-A)
NACE
University of Pikeville
Pikeville, KY
Mid East
NAIA, Mid-South Conference
NACE
University of Providence
Great Falls, MT
North West
Member of Frontier Conference (NAIA)
NACE
University of Rio Grande
Rio Grande, OH
Great Lakes
Mid-South Conference, NAIA
NACE
University of Saint Mary
Leavenworth, KS
Mid West
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
University of South Carolina - Sumter
Sumter, SC
South East
NACE
University of South Carolina - Union
Union, SC
South East
NACE
University of Texas at Dallas
Richardson, TX
Mid South
American Southwest Conference (Division III), NCWA Wrestling
NACE
University of the Cumberlands
Williamsburg, KY
Mid East
NAIA, Mid-South Conference
NACE
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
South West
Pacific-12 Conference (Division I, Football I-A), NCWA Wrestling
Independent
University of Wisconsin - Stout
Menomonie, WI
Great Lakes
Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (Division III);Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Upper Iowa University
Fayette, IA
Mid West
Northern Sun Conference (Division II)
NACE
Utah State University Eastern
Price, UT
South West
NJCAA, Scenic West Athletic Conference
NACE
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN
Great Lakes
Horizon League (Division I), Pioneer Football League (Division I, Football I-AA)
NACE
Virginia Wesleyan University
Norfolk, VA
Mid East
Old Dominion Athletic Conference (Division III)
NACE
Wagner College
Staten Island, NY
North East
Colonial Athletic Association (Division I), Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (Division I, Football I-AA), Northeast Conference (Division I, Football I-AA)
NACE
Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX
Mid South
Sooner Athletic Conference (NAIA)
NACE
West Virginia University Potomac State College
Keyser, WV
Mid East
NJCAA
NACE
West Virginia Wesleyan College
Buckhannon, WV
Mid East
Mountain East Conference
NACE
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY
Mid East
Sun Belt Conference (Division I, Football I-A)
NACE
Wichita State University
Wichita, KS
Mid West
Member of Missouri Valley Conference (Division I), NCWA Wrestling
NACE
