Analysis: 569,475 students played college sports in 2016

Lindenwood University, Cornell University and Harvard University reported the most students participating in athletics in 2016, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of federal data.

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education collects data, including participation tallies, from from all institutions with intercollegiate athletics programs that receive funding through federal financial aid programs. Data for 2016 – the latest year available – includes more than 2,000 schools nationwide.

Altogether, the top 100 athletic programs have 71,188 student athletes – or 12.5 percent of the 569,475 student athletes reported by all schools that year.

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100 schools with most student athletes participation


SchoolStateTotal undergraduatesMale athletesFemale athletesAll athletes
1Lindenwood UniversityMO6,7557424591,201
2Cornell UniversityNY14,4616464861,132
3Harvard UniversityMA6,9316494831,132
4Ohio State UniversityOH41,6665495011,050
5Princeton UniversityNJ5,2366104281,038
6Robert Morris University IllinoisIL2,253665314979
7University of MichiganMI27,833472469941
8Dartmouth CollegeNH4,230485428913
9University of California-BerkeleyCA28,107518395913
10Brown UniversityRI6,556462429891
11University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNC17,828463427890
12University of PennsylvaniaPA10,231517373890
13Stanford UniversityCA7,032446405851
14Yale UniversityCT5,468490354844
15Pennsylvania State UniversityPA39,883474347821
16University of Mount UnionOH2,100575246821
17Sacred Heart UniversityCT4,793399418817
18Columbia University in the City of New YorkNY7,552472333805
19Midland UniversityNE1,168540262802
20Ithaca CollegeNY6,099440351791
21Limestone CollegeSC2,156558226784
22SUNY CortlandNY6,187459320779
23University of Wisconsin-MadisonWI28,201391384775
24Missouri Valley CollegeMO1,329484289773
25Indiana Institute of TechnologyIN4,302477294771
26University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMN28,782383378761
27Carthage CollegeWI2,644502256758
28Williams CollegeMA2,044427317744
29Tufts UniversityMA5,414415326741
30Boston CollegeMA9,486358378736
31St Lawrence UniversityNY2,341424310734
32University of St ThomasMN5,774475256731
33Bucknell UniversityPA3,525360361721
34Michigan State UniversityMI35,280371342713
35University of Notre DameIN8,480414295709
36Middlebury CollegeVT2,496384314698
37University of VirginiaVA15,420361334695
38The University of FindlayOH2,561370323693
39Grand View UniversityIA1,643465226691
40University of IowaIA20,690347344691
41Indiana University-BloomingtonIN31,884368321689
42University of California-Los AngelesCA30,329311377688
43Johns Hopkins UniversityMD5,589404275679
44Bates CollegeME1,780394283677
45Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMA4,444388287675
46Mt San Antonio CollegeCA9,984468205673
47Utica CollegeNY2,730413257670
48Duke UniversityNC6,449394274668
49College of the Holy CrossMA2,689373294667
50Saint Ambrose UniversityIA2,187451215666
51Trinity CollegeCT2,132403261664
52Augustana CollegeIL2,514435227662
53Colby CollegeME1,879364296660
54Georgetown UniversityDC6,874384275659
55Lindsey Wilson CollegeKY1,984439219658
56Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteNY6,197415241656
57Springfield CollegeMA2,082414241655
58Ohio Northern UniversityOH2,047445205650
59Tiffin UniversityOH1,748445203648
60University of ConnecticutCT18,538334314648
61Benedictine UniversityIL2,687428217645
62Iowa Central Community CollegeIA2,732490155645
63Stevenson UniversityMD3,065419225644
64Rutgers University-New BrunswickNJ33,939323316639
65McKendree UniversityIL1,820403233636
66Bowdoin CollegeME1,798358277635
67Colorado Mesa UniversityCO7,252421211632
68The University of AlabamaAL29,071295336631
69North Central CollegeIL2,534439190629
70Rochester Institute of TechnologyNY12,231375254629
71Villanova UniversityPA6,469301328629
72Adrian CollegeMI1,604381247628
73Gustavus Adolphus CollegeMN2,219393232625
74Lehigh UniversityPA4,990359265624
75University of Massachusetts-AmherstMA21,340347273620
76Monmouth UniversityNJ4,484374245619
77Worcester Polytechnic InstituteMA4,214391228619
78SUNY College at BrockportNY6,375379239618
79University of Washington-Seattle CampusWA28,165338279617
80Merrimack CollegeMA3,295308308616
81Morningside CollegeIA1,293376240616
82Concordia University-NebraskaNE1,205378237615
83University of DelawareDE17,736273340613
84Marian UniversityIN1,761404208612
85University of LouisvilleKY12,325289322611
86Arizona State University-TempeAZ38,761328280608
87Franklin and Marshall CollegePA2,222355251606
88Notre Dame CollegeOH1,247405201606
89University of IndianapolisIN3,589397207604
90Wesleyan UniversityCT2,912363241604
91Marist CollegeNY4,964349254603
92University of Nebraska-LincolnNE19,381336266602
93Mercyhurst UniversityPA2,402378222600
94Baldwin Wallace UniversityOH3,013436163599
95Missouri Baptist UniversityMO1,433365233598
96The University of Texas at AustinTX37,026305292597
97West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeWV1,362350247597
98Loras CollegeIA1,400383213596
99Norwich UniversityVT2,445413182595
100University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterWI10,046328266594

Source: U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education