NCAA Division 3 colleges are known for their smaller, more intimate campuses, strong emphasis on academics and ability to provide student-athletes with a very well-rounded college experience. NCAA Division 3 football teams are still very competitive, but athletes have the ability to create a more traditional college experience for themselves.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association governs the athletic programs of the colleges and universities classified as Division 3 institutions. Division 3 schools are typically smaller colleges, with the median enrollment rate at about 2,750, but they can range from 418 to more than 38,000 students. Division 3 is the largest of the NCAA division levels, with 450 member institutions. The level of competition for NCAA Division 3 football teams is generally lower than Division 1, Division 2 and NAIA schools, but that will vary from school to school. However, Division 3 football is still highly competitive, and athletes can expect to play at a level much higher than in high school.
While NCAA Division 3 football teams don’t offer athletic scholarships, they have plenty of other scholarship opportunities students can take advantage of. In fact, most student-athletes at Division 3 schools benefit from some form of financial aid. From academic scholarships, to need-based and merit scholarships, there are plenty of ways to help pay for your education if you have the grades and the resume to back it up.
There are 243 NCAA Division 3 football teams in the United States. The D3 football conferences are as follows: ASC, CCC Football, CCIW, Centennial, ECFC, Empire 8, HCAC, IIAC, Independent, Liberty, MAC, MASCAC, MIAA, MIAC, MWC, NACC, NCAC, NESCAC, NEWMAC, NJAC, NWC, OAC, ODAC, PAC, SAA, SCIAC, UAA, UMAC, USA South, and WIAC.
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Division 3 college football rankings
Where can student-athletes go to research all 240+ four-year schools with D3 college football programs? NCSA’s Power Rankings rank the top D3 schools offering college football. To rank these institutions, we analyze the factors that have the most weight in the student-athlete’s college selection progress. These factors include size, location, academics, cost and more. Using this system, we’ve identified a list of the top D3 football schools.
The NCAA also ranks these programs by their athletic performance. To see how the NCAA ranks these D3 programs, visit the NCAA website.
To start exploring the wealth of NCAA Division 3 football schools across the country, use the following list of Division 3 football teams. Search by state, conference or school name.
List of Division 3 football teams
School
City and State
Type
Conference
Division
Adrian, Michigan
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Albion, Michigan
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Reading, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Alfred, New York
Private
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Meadville, Pennsylvania
Private
North Coast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Alma, Michigan
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Reading, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Amherst, Massachusetts
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Anderson, Indiana
Private
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Paxton, Massachusetts
Private
Eastern Collegiate Football Conference
NCAA D3
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Rock Island, Illinois
Private
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
NCAA D3
Aurora, Illinois
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Sherman, Texas
Private
Southern Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Danville, Virginia
Private
USA South Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Berea, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Lewiston, Maine
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Jackson, Mississippi
Private
American Southwest Conference
NCAA D3
Beloit, Wisconsin
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Lisle, Illinois
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Mount Berry, Georgia
Private
Southern Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Bethany, West Virginia
Private
Presidents' Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Birmingham, Alabama
Private
Southern Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Bluffton, Ohio
Private
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Brunswick, Maine
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Brevard, North Carolina
Private
South Atlantic Conference
NCAA D3
Bridgewater, Virginia
Private
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Public
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
Storm Lake, Iowa
Private
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
New York
Public
Liberty League
NCAA D3
Thousand Oaks, California
Private
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Columbus, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Northfield, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Private
University Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Private
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
NCAA D3
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Public
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
NCAA D3
Cleveland, Ohio
Private
Presidents' Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Castleton, Vermont
Public
Eastern Collegiate Football Conference
NCAA D3
Washington, District Of Columbia
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Shreveport, Louisiana
Private
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Pella, Iowa
Private
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Danville, Kentucky
Private
Southern Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Orange, California
Private
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Newport News, Virginia
Public
Capital Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Claremont, California
Private
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division III), Western Water Polo Association (Division III)
NCAA D3
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Private
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Waterville, Maine
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Wooster, Ohio
Private
North Coast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Moorhead, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
River Forest, Illinois
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Mequon, Wisconsin
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Mount Vernon, Iowa
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota
Private
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Milton, Massachusetts
Private
Commonwealth Coast Conference
NCAA D3
Franklin, Massachusetts
Private
Eastern Collegiate Football Conference
NCAA D3
Defiance, Ohio
Private
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Granville, Ohio
Private
North Coast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Greencastle, Indiana
Private
North Coast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Marshall, Texas
Private
American Southwest Conference
NCAA D3
Saint Davids, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Elmhurst, Illinois
Private
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
NCAA D3
Emory, Virginia
Private
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Beverly, Massachusetts
Private
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
Eureka, Illinois
Private
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Madison, New Jersey
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Ferrum, Virginia
Private
USA South Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Hancock, Michigan
Private
Division III Independents
NCAA D3
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Public
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
St. Louis, Missouri
Private
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Framingham, Massachusetts
Public
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Franklin, Indiana
Private
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Washington, District Of Columbia
Private
Eastern Collegiate Football Conference
NCAA D3
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Private
Presidents' Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Newberg, Oregon
Private
Northwest Conference
NCAA D3
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Greensboro, North Carolina
Private
USA South Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Greenville, Illinois
Private
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Grinnell, Iowa
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Grove City, Pennsylvania
Private
Presidents' Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Greensboro, North Carolina
Private
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Saint Peter, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Clinton, New York
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Hampden Sydney, Virginia
Private
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Hanover, Indiana
Private
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Abilene, Texas
Private
American Southwest Conference
NCAA D3
Oneonta, New York
Private
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Tiffin, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Conway, Arkansas
Private
Southern Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Hamburg, New York
Private
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Hiram, Ohio
Private
North Coast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Geneva, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
Holland, Michigan
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Brownwood, Texas
Private
American Southwest Conference
NCAA D3
Montgomery, Alabama
Private
USA South Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Bangor, Maine
Private
Eastern Collegiate Football Conference
NCAA D3
Jacksonville, Illinois
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Bloomington, Illinois
Private
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
NCAA D3
Ithaca, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
University Heights, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Baltimore, Maryland
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Union, New Jersey
Public
New Jersey Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Gambier, Ohio
Private
North Coast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
La Plume, Pennsylvania
Private
Colonial States Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Private
Division III Independents
NCAA D3
Galesburg, Illinois
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
LaGrange, Georgia
Private
USA South Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Lake Forest, Illinois
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Plymouth, Wisconsin
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Appleton, Wisconsin
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Annville, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Portland, Oregon
Private
Northwest Conference
NCAA D3
McMinnville, Oregon
Private
Northwest Conference
NCAA D3
Dubuque, Iowa
Private
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Decorah, Iowa
Private
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Batesville, Arkansas
Private
Central States Football League
NCAA D3
St. Paul, Minnesota
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Castine, Maine
Public
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
North Manchester, Indiana
Private
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Marietta, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
New Ulm, Minnesota
Private
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Maryville, Tennessee
Private
USA South Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Westminster, Maryland
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Abilene, Texas
Private
American Southwest Conference
NCAA D3
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Private
USA South Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Middlebury, Vermont
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Decatur, Illinois
Private
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
NCAA D3
Jackson, Mississippi
Private
Southern Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Dallas, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Monmouth, Illinois
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Montclair, New Jersey
Public
New Jersey Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Cincinnati, Ohio
Private
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
New Concord, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Lincoln, Nebraska
Private
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Dudley, Massachusetts
Private
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Private
USA South Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Naperville, Illinois
Private
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
NCAA D3
Chicago, Illinois
Private
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
NCAA D3
Northfield, Vermont
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Oberlin, Ohio
Private
North Coast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Ada, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Delaware, Ohio
Private
North Coast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Olivet, Michigan
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Westerville, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Tacoma, Washington
Private
Division III Independents
NCAA D3
Forest Grove, Oregon
Private
Northwest Conference
NCAA D3
Plymouth, New Hampshire
Public
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Claremont, California
Private
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Ashland, Virginia
Private
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Troy, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
Memphis, Tennessee
Private
Southern Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Ripon, Wisconsin
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Rockford, Illinois
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Terre Haute, Indiana
Private
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Glassboro, New Jersey
Public
New Jersey Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Collegeville, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Private
Presidents' Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Salisbury, Maryland
Public
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Newport, Rhode Island
Private
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
Sewanee, Tennessee
Private
Southern Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Winchester, Virginia
Private
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Indianola, Iowa
Private
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Buena Vista, Virginia
Private
Capital Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Georgetown, Texas
Private
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Springfield, Massachusetts
Private
ECAC (Division III, Football I-AA), Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (Division III), Empire Eight (Division III), New England College Wrestling Association (Division III), New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (Division III), Pilgrim League (Division III)
NCAA D3
Rochester, New York
Private
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Canton, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
De Pere, Wisconsin
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Northfield, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Stevenson, Maryland
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Alpine, Texas
Public
American Southwest Conference
NCAA D3
Buffalo, New York
Public
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Brockport, New York
Public
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Cortland, New York
Public
State University of New York Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Throggs Neck, New York
Public
Eastern Collegiate Football Conference
NCAA D3
Morrisville, New York
Public
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Seguin, Texas
Private
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Ewing, New Jersey
Public
New Jersey Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Duluth, Minnesota
Private
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Greenville, Pennsylvania
Private
Presidents' Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Angola, Indiana
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Hartford, Connecticut
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
San Antonio, Texas
Private
Southern Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Medford, Massachusetts
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Schenectady, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
New London, Connecticut
Public
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Kings Point, New York
Public
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Chicago, Illinois
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Dubuque, Iowa
Private
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
La Verne, California
Private
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Belton, Texas
Private
American Southwest Conference
NCAA D3
North Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Public
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Morris, Minnesota
Public
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Alliance, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Biddeford, Maine
Private
Commonwealth Coast Conference
NCAA D3
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Private
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Tacoma, Washington
Private
Northwest Conference
NCAA D3
Redlands, California
Private
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Rochester, New York
Private
University Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Platteville, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
River Falls, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Menomonie, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Whitewater, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Collegeville, Pennsylvania
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Utica, New York
Private
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Crawfordsville, Indiana
Private
North Coast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Waverly, Iowa
Private
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Washington, Pennsylvania
Private
Presidents' Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Lexington, Virginia
Private
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Saint Louis, Missouri
Private
University Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Waynesburg, Pennsylvania
Private
Presidents' Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Middletown, Connecticut
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Danbury, Connecticut
Public
Freedom Football Conference
NCAA D3
Springfield, Massachusetts
Private
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
Westfield, Massachusetts
Public
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
Fulton, Missouri
Private
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
New Wilmington, Pennsylvania
Private
Presidents' Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Wheaton, Illinois
Private
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
NCAA D3
Spokane, Washington
Private
Northwest Conference
NCAA D3
Chester, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Salem, Oregon
Private
Northwest Conference
NCAA D3
Wayne, New Jersey
Public
New Jersey Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Wilmington, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Springfield, Ohio
Private
North Coast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Worcester, Massachusetts
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Worcester, Massachusetts
Public
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
