Athletic recruitment intensity
Schools where varsity sports do a disproportionate share of the work attracting and retaining undergraduate enrollment — sourced from the U.S. Department of Education’s Equity in Athletics (EADA) survey, joined to IPEDS fragility scores.
What EADA counts: a student who participated in at least one intercollegiate (varsity) competition during the academic year. Excludes redshirts, JV / developmental rosters, and club sports — actual athletic-recruit footprint can be substantially larger. Athletic-aid totals are intentionally not shown: at D3 schools they read $0 because institutional merit aid functioning as recruiting subsidy isn’t classified as athletic aid. Recruiting expense is the universal proxy that works across all divisions.
Highest % athletes (current)Largest increase (the athletic ratchet)Highest estimated % (peer-anchored)
Top 50 schools by current share of undergrads on varsity teams (AY 2024-25). The ratio reflects how much enrollment is athletics-driven. At D3, athletes pay close to full sticker. At D1/D2, athletic aid attaches, so high % at a tuition-dependent D1/D2 can indicate a costly recruitment program.
| # | Institution | % reported | % est. | Change | Athletes | UG | Recruit $ | Frag. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottawa University-OttawaKS NAIA-I | 100.0% | 100.0% | +39.0 pts since '05 | 858 | 811 | $54K $62/athlete | 96 |
| 2 | Ottawa University-SurpriseAZ NAIA-I | 100.0% | 94.8% | +15.0 pts since '18 | 777 | 777 | $68K $88/athlete | — |
| 3 | York UniversityNE NAIA-II | 96.5% | 48.5% | +52.1 pts since '05 | 383 | 397 | — | 50 |
| 4 | Tabor CollegeKS NAIA-I | 95.3% | 98.7% | +37.5 pts since '05 | 467 | 490 | $87K $186/athlete | 36 |
| 5 | Kentucky Christian UniversityKY NAIA-I | 91.7% | 78.2% | +75.7 pts since '05 | 386 | 421 | $76K $198/athlete | 61 |
| 6 | Erskine CollegeSC DII w/ FB | 90.8% | 70.7% | +63.4 pts since '05 | 690 | 760 | — | 62 |
| 7 | Kansas Wesleyan UniversityKS NAIA-I | 90.0% | 41.6% | +48.1 pts since '05 | 807 | 897 | $36K $45/athlete | 50 |
| 8 | Emmanuel CollegeGA DII | 89.8% | 69.6% | +70.7 pts since '05 | 683 | 761 | $84K $123/athlete | 86 |
| 9 | Oakland City UniversityIN NAIA-I | 89.0% | 75.5% | +77.5 pts since '05 | 437 | 491 | $20K $45/athlete | 100 |
| 10 | Life UniversityGA NAIA-I | 87.9% | 41.8% | +85.5 pts since '08 | 691 | 786 | $53K $76/athlete | 86 |
| 11 | University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. LouisMO NAIA-I | 87.2% | 100.0% | +82.0 pts since '06 | 292 | 335 | $48K $163/athlete | 76 |
| 12 | University of Fort LauderdaleFL NCCAA Division I | 86.2% | 57.7% | +86.2 pts new program | 244 | 283 | $0 $0/athlete | 46 |
| 13 | University of the SouthwestNM NAIA-I | 85.7% | 29.0% | +81.6 pts since '05 | 275 | 321 | $11K $41/athlete | 18 |
| 14 | Midland UniversityNE NAIA-II | 84.0% | 81.1% | +45.7 pts since '05 | 967 | 1,151 | $91K $94/athlete | 98 |
| 15 | Bethel College-North NewtonKS NAIA-II | 83.9% | 98.3% | +42.7 pts since '05 | 412 | 491 | $37K $89/athlete | 26 |
| 16 | University of Saint MaryKS NAIA-II | 83.9% | 82.0% | +41.6 pts since '05 | 691 | 824 | $50K $73/athlete | 31 |
| 17 | Union CollegeKY NAIA-I | 83.4% | 39.0% | +47.5 pts since '05 | 588 | 705 | $7K $11/athlete | 61 |
| 18 | Wheeling UniversityWV DII w/ FB | 82.1% | 57.6% | +57.0 pts since '05 | 478 | 582 | $80K $167/athlete | 100 |
| 19 | Chowan UniversityNC DII w/ FB | 79.2% | 62.5% | +43.6 pts since '05 | 456 | 576 | $37K $81/athlete | 73 |
| 20 | Dallas Christian CollegeTX Other | 78.7% | 50.2% | +42.3 pts since '12 | 163 | 207 | $3K $16/athlete | 83 |
| 21 | Clarke UniversityIA NAIA-I | 78.5% | 68.0% | +55.8 pts since '05 | 568 | 724 | $44K $78/athlete | 55 |
| 22 | Virginia University of LynchburgVA Other | 78.3% | 68.3% | +78.3 pts new program | 180 | 230 | $4K $22/athlete | 0 |
| 23 | Sterling CollegeKS NAIA-II | 77.9% | 77.0% | +18.7 pts since '05 | 380 | 488 | $11K $28/athlete | 55 |
| 24 | Belmont Abbey CollegeNC DII | 77.7% | 62.2% | +48.6 pts since '05 | 957 | 1,232 | $61K $63/athlete | 95 |
| 25 | Barton CollegeNC DII w/ FB | 77.2% | 75.5% | +57.9 pts since '05 | 709 | 918 | $39K $55/athlete | 74 |
| 26 | Oklahoma Wesleyan UniversityOK NAIA-II | 76.3% | 39.2% | +48.8 pts since '05 | 464 | 608 | $46K $99/athlete | 30 |
| 27 | Tusculum UniversityTN DII w/ FB | 76.0% | 71.6% | +58.6 pts since '05 | 559 | 736 | $80K $144/athlete | 85 |
| 28 | Indiana Institute of TechnologyIN NAIA-I | 75.6% | 83.9% | +59.5 pts since '05 | 1,057 | 1,398 | $69K $65/athlete | 28 |
| 29 | Quincy UniversityIL DII w/ FB | 75.1% | 71.0% | +42.9 pts since '05 | 743 | 989 | $97K $131/athlete | 100 |
| 30 | Judson UniversityIL NAIA-I | 74.7% | 81.1% | +63.3 pts since '05 | 513 | 687 | $5K $9/athlete | 72 |
| 31 | Calumet College of Saint JosephIN NAIA-II | 74.4% | 64.3% | +50.3 pts since '05 | 285 | 383 | $29K $102/athlete | 36 |
| 32 | Bethany CollegeKS NAIA-II | 74.4% | 67.8% | +25.5 pts since '05 | 421 | 566 | $21K $50/athlete | 72 |
| 33 | Mount Marty UniversitySD NAIA-II | 73.9% | 39.9% | +68.6 pts since '05 | 459 | 621 | $37K $81/athlete | 47 |
| 34 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and SciencesMO NAIA-I | 73.9% | 38.7% | +73.2 pts since '05 | 766 | 1,037 | $16K $21/athlete | 45 |
| 35 | Arlington Baptist UniversityTX NCCAA Division II | 73.7% | 31.1% | +44.4 pts since '12 | 205 | 278 | $0 $0/athlete | 5 |
| 36 | Siena Heights UniversityMI NAIA-II | 73.4% | 55.3% | +45.4 pts since '05 | 827 | 1,127 | — | 81 |
| 37 | Adams State UniversityCO DII w/ FB | 73.3% | 59.7% | +52.3 pts since '05 | 671 | 915 | $54K $81/athlete | 74 |
| 38 | Southwestern CollegeKS NAIA-II | 72.9% | 81.7% | +34.7 pts since '05 | 443 | 608 | $36K $81/athlete | 100 |
| 39 | Culver-Stockton CollegeMO NAIA-II | 72.3% | 40.6% | +39.6 pts since '05 | 563 | 779 | $35K $63/athlete | 55 |
| 40 | Aquinas CollegeMI NAIA-II | 72.2% | 64.4% | +46.3 pts since '05 | 700 | 969 | $73K $105/athlete | 75 |
| 41 | Pfeiffer UniversityNC DIII | 72.2% | 28.6% | +44.2 pts since '05 | 459 | 636 | $6K $12/athlete | 100 |
| 42 | Milligan UniversityTN NAIA-II | 72.2% | 100.0% | +42.7 pts since '15 | 586 | 812 | $120K $205/athlete | 40 |
| 43 | Friends UniversityKS NAIA-I | 72.0% | 67.0% | +53.2 pts since '05 | 713 | 990 | $50K $69/athlete | 58 |
| 44 | Warner UniversityFL NAIA-I | 71.3% | 57.2% | +33.9 pts since '05 | 504 | 707 | $16K $32/athlete | 65 |
| 45 | Defiance CollegeOH NAIA-II | 70.7% | 72.0% | +29.4 pts since '05 | 340 | 481 | $62K $184/athlete | 57 |
| 46 | Hastings CollegeNE NAIA-II | 70.7% | 86.9% | +28.4 pts since '05 | 629 | 890 | $28K $45/athlete | 43 |
| 47 | Southern Virginia UniversityVA DIII w/ FB | 70.6% | 69.0% | +33.7 pts since '05 | 645 | 913 | $52K $81/athlete | 84 |
| 48 | Bethany CollegeWV DIII w/ FB | 70.6% | 70.6% | +37.3 pts since '05 | 433 | 613 | $39K $90/athlete | 71 |
| 49 | Presentation CollegeSD NAIA-II | 70.5% | 31.3% | +37.4 pts since '12 | 335 | 475 | $66K $198/athlete | — |
| 50 | Briar Cliff UniversityIA NAIA-II | 70.3% | 97.3% | +35.5 pts since '05 | 395 | 562 | $41K $103/athlete | 100 |