by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 353 colleges for Women’s Basketball (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual evaluates each program using 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Pick a path below.
Learn more about these schools below: No school ranked higher than Rice University this year for Women's Basketball (Division I). Based in Houston, TX, Rice University is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 85%. The program generates about $288,407 in revenue per athlete, against $288,407 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $41,166 per athlete. Wake Forest University landed the #2 spot for Women's Basketball (Division I). Located in Winston-Salem, NC, Wake Forest University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 86% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $213,767 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $213,767 per participant. The school awards about $38,933 in athletic aid per athlete. Stanford University came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Basketball (Division I). Stanford University is a private not-for-profit school based in Stanford, CA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 991, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 100%. The program generates about $328,629 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $328,629 per participant. Athletic aid averages $42,012 per athlete. University of California-Los Angeles earned the #4 place for student athletes. Based in Los Angeles, CA, University of California-Los Angeles is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 82% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $334,154 in revenue per athlete, against $334,154 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $24,306.1
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Southern Methodist University landed the #5 spot for Women's Basketball (Division I). Located in Dallas, TX, Southern Methodist University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 991, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 77%. Team revenue averages $563,691 per participant, compared with $563,691 spent per athlete. The school awards about $56,388 in athletic aid per athlete.5
University of San Francisco ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Basketball (Division I). University of San Francisco is a private not-for-profit school based in San Francisco, CA. University of San Francisco records an NCAA APR of 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. About 71% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $269,032 per participant, compared with $269,032 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $31,788 per athlete. University of Kentucky did well this year, earning the #7 position. This public school is set in Lexington, KY. University of Kentucky records an NCAA APR of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 73%. Team revenue averages $589,199 per participant, compared with $589,199 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $23,921. Northwestern University placed #8 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Evanston, IL. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 998, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 100%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $102,876, compared with $365,754 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $53,919. University of Connecticut came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Located in Storrs, CT, University of Connecticut is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 58%. The program generates about $901,331 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $901,331 per participant. Athletic aid averages $20,776 per athlete.6
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Indiana University-Bloomington came in at #10 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Bloomington, IN. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 69%. The program generates about $251,167 in revenue per athlete, compared with $251,167 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $23,161 per athlete.10
University of Southern California landed the #11 spot this year. University of Southern California is a private not-for-profit school based in Los Angeles, CA. The team's NCAA APR score is 990, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 60%. The program generates about $320,344 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $320,344 per participant. The school awards about $40,006 in athletic aid per athlete. Loyola Marymount University placed #12 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division I). Located in Los Angeles, CA, Loyola Marymount University is a private not-for-profit institution. Loyola Marymount University records an NCAA APR of 990, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 82% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $294,581 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $294,581 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $40,056. Vanderbilt University ranked #13 on our 2026 list for Women's Basketball (Division I). Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit school based in Nashville, TN. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 989, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 64%. The program generates about $297,136 in revenue per athlete, compared with $297,136 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $42,235. University of Notre Dame ranked #14 on our 2026 list for Women's Basketball (Division I). Located in Notre Dame, IN, University of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, alongside a GSR of 88%. About 45% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $754,333 in revenue per athlete, against $754,333 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $34,391.11
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Villanova University landed the #15 spot this year. Located in Villanova, PA, Villanova University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 995, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 92% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $184,230 in revenue per athlete, against $184,230 in expenses. The school awards about $25,480 in athletic aid per athlete.15
Northeastern University came in at #16 in this year's ranking. Based in Boston, MA, Northeastern University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 86% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $177,601, against $177,601 in expenses. The school awards about $24,558 in athletic aid per athlete. University of California-Berkeley landed the #17 spot this year. University of California-Berkeley is a public school based in Berkeley, CA. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 90%. Its federal graduation rate is 73%. Team revenue averages $325,762 per participant, against $325,762 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $21,267. Pepperdine University did well this year, earning the #18 position. Based in Malibu, CA, Pepperdine University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 74%. The program generates about $177,408 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $177,408 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $27,861. University of Tulsa placed #19 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division I). Based in Tulsa, OK, University of Tulsa is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 991, and a 94% Graduation Success Rate. About 87% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $276,721, compared with $276,721 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $34,797 per athlete.16
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Providence College came in at #20 in this year's ranking. Located in Providence, RI, Providence College is a private not-for-profit institution. Providence College records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 53% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $344,772 per participant, against $344,772 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $25,955.20
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus ranked #21 on our 2026 list for Women's Basketball (Division I). Located in Cincinnati, OH, University of Cincinnati-Main Campus is a public institution. University of Cincinnati-Main Campus records an NCAA APR of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 62%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $338,478, with expenses of about $338,478 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $20,882. Duke University did well this year, earning the #22 position. Based in Durham, NC, Duke University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 990, with a Graduation Success Rate of 87%. Its federal graduation rate is 73%. The program generates about $367,260 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $723,542 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $34,321. Colgate University came in at #23 in this year's ranking. Colgate University is a private not-for-profit school based in Hamilton, NY. The team's NCAA APR score is 996, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 93%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $158,391, compared with $158,391 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $22,658. St. John's University-New York landed the #24 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Queens, NY. St. John's University-New York records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 92%. Its federal graduation rate is 67%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $477,808, with expenses of about $477,808 per participant. The school awards about $29,040 in athletic aid per athlete. Syracuse University placed #25 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division I). Based in Syracuse, NY, Syracuse University is a private not-for-profit institution. Syracuse University records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 47% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $151,424 per participant, with expenses of about $461,083 per participant. The school awards about $33,068 in athletic aid per athlete.21
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These schools rounded out the top of the list:26
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Explore the rest of the top 20% below:Rank College Location 51 University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD 52 North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC 53 Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX
These colleges also performed well in our ranking:Rank College Location 54 Saint Joseph’s University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA 55 Drexel University Philadelphia, PA 56 Georgetown University Washington, DC 57 Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX 58 University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO 59 University of San Diego San Diego, CA 60 Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO 61 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL 62 Belmont University Nashville, TN 63 University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC 64 University of Toledo Toledo, OH 65 Lafayette College Easton, PA 66 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL 67 Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA 68 Samford University Birmingham, AL
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 69 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC |
| 70 | Northern Illinois University | Dekalb, IL |
| 71 | University of Denver | Denver, CO |
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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
See our data sources and methodologies.
