Choosing the best soccer college can somewhat be a daunting task, and it’s very common for students to experience a temporary feeling of stress or pressure when faced with making important decisions.
If you are feeling this way because you’re not sure which soccer college to choose, worry not we are here to help you.
College soccer in the United States may not be on the same degree of popularity as other sports, however, it is a good avenue for talented youngsters to develop their careers.
Students who attend the finest universities have a real chance of pursuing a professional soccer career later in life and have the opportunity to obtain a top-notch degree as well.
However, picking a soccer college involves more factors than just its rating! You must consider things like the college’s capacity, location, and affordability (most soccer scholarships are partial).
The academic program is the most crucial factor to consider because you will ultimately be a student athlete at the institution.
In this article, you will know about 10 of the best soccer colleges in the United States, which will hopefully help you on your journey.
What Is The Best Soccer College In The US?
In order to know the finest soccer colleges, our survey based on NCSA rating evaluates several schools in the United States. The overall quality of the college and the level of athletic competitiveness of the school are two of the many objective measures that we used to calculate our best ten.
We avoid using subjective metrics because they don’t give a clear picture of how one college compares to another. In other words, even if a college has a decent soccer squad, it do well if it’s also recognized with-quality academic prowess.
University of Virginia
One of the best instution for students willing to choose a career path in soccer is the University of Virginia, which has stellar records on the field. Both the men’s and women’s teams, known as the Virginia Cavaliers, are staples of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The men’s soccer team maintains its prominence as one of the top college soccer teams in the United States. It has won 7 NCAA titles and has recorded the most College Cup tournament appearances in 39 years.
They appear to be tremendously devoted to remaining a top team for many years to come, since they have the infrastructure in place to keep things running by bringing in top recruits year after year.
Being one of the hardest state schools in the United States to get into, they have no hard time attracting talented students who want to play competitive soccer.
The Men’s Soccer team of the University of Virginia earned $1,846,819 in revenue.
The likelihood of new students staying at the institution is high, as the retention rate for first-year students is 97 percent.
| Soccer Team | Virginia Cavaliers |
| Tuition fee | Estimated fee $18,000 |
University Of Notre Dame
As a dominant force in almost every sporting event, the school consistently ranks among the top teams in the United States.
In 2020–2021, a sizable private non–profit college in Notre Dame, Indiana, awarded 2,848 bachelor’s degrees.
The men’s soccer team at Notre Dame earned $163,590 in revenue. The team has a flawless academic progress rate of 1000, proving that they, too, know how to hit the books.
They finished 10-8-1 last season, but they are often constantly ranked in the top 25. Despite just having one national championship in 2013, they have the resources and finances to compete almost every year
In terms of fan followership, Notre Dame ranks high as well. Some find this unexpected, considering that soccer takes place at the same time as football.
Despite its long history in football, there are many supporters of both sports.
| Soccer Team | Fighting Irish |
| Tuition fee | Estimated fee $57,699 |
SEE ALSO | CAN YOU PLAY COLLEGE SOCCER WITHOUT A SCHOLARSHIP?
Wake-Forest University
Wake Forest is completely devoted to being a perennial soccer powerhouse. It all started slowly roughly 20 years ago, and they peaked with four straight Final Four appearances from 2006 to 2009.
Since 2007, when they won their sole national championship, they have consistently been at the top.
One of the best atmospheres can be experienced at Spry Stadium, which often fills to capacity and has a very distinctive vibe.
Even though Wake Forest is one of the smaller D1 institutions in the United State, the soccer team enjoys fervent learning resources. Plus, they receive a substantial level of support in the Winston-Salem region.
Wake Forest University’s men’s soccer team earned $1,989,732 in revenue in one calendar year.
In 2020-2021, the private non-profit school awarded bachelor’s degrees to 1,472 students. The academic success rate of 980 proves that soccer team members perform well in the classroom as well.
The likelihood of new students staying at the institution is high. The retention percentage for first-year students is 95%.
| Soccer Team | Wake Forest Demon Deacons |
| Tuition fee | Estimated fee $55,440 |
University Of California
UCLA, a Pac-12 Conference member, attracts talented athletes to its soccer program by providing maximum support in scholarship, athletic training, and student services. Both the men’s and women’s soccer programs at UCLA are exceptionally outstanding.
Although they have won four championships in the past, but have struggled to keep up recently. They had a disappointing season in 2019, yet they always manage to find fresh, competitive talents.
UCLA has long been acknowledged as having one of the best overall environments for playing outdoor sports, including soccer.
They not only have outstanding athletic facilities for student-athletes, but they also have a good eye for recruiting.
| Soccer Team | UCLA Bruins |
| Tuition fee | Estimate fee $27,712 – $66,521 |
Stanford University
Stanford is a private research institution in California, and one of the most prestigious institutions in the world.
The school has the highest student enrollment and ranks high in different surveys and assessments in the United States. It awarded over 1,511 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The Stanford Men’s Soccer team earned $339,515 in annual revenue. The team excels in academics as well as sports, with a flawless academic progress rating of 1000.
It wasn’t until 2015 that they finally won a men’s soccer national championship, but since then, they have been making up for the lost time. They won three consecutive national championships before Maryland ended the streak in 2018
They managed to recover and advance to the Final Four in 2019, and they are expected to rank among the top sides in the coming years.
The school’s excellent 86 percent freshman retention rate shows that students enjoy it enough to return for a second year.
| Soccer Team | Stanford Cardinals |
| Tuition fee | Estimated fee $53,500 |
University of Maryland
Maryland’s soccer program is one of those that has been competitive for a very long time. They made three of the first five Final Fours in the early years and won their first national championship back in 1968.
With four NCAA Division 1 College Cup victories under its belt, the Maryland Terrapins men’s soccer team is one of the most decorated teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Likewise, it has won 6 ACC tournament titles and 19 regular-season Atlantic Coast Conference titles.
Maryland possesses state-of-the-art facilities, invests heavily in strengthening the coaching staff, and appears to be taking soccer thoughtfully in every league they compete in.
They have not slowed down even a bit since leaving the ACC for the Big 10. In fact, they consistently play one of the toughest cumulative schedules, which steady them for the rigors of the postseason.
The institution has a sizable student body and awarded 8,838 bachelor’s degrees in 2020–2021. In a single calendar year, the UMCP men’s soccer squad earned $153,909 in income, and the team’s academic growth rate is 962.
The likelihood of new students staying at the institution is high. The retention percentage for first-year students is 95%.
| Soccer Team | Maryland Terrapins |
| Tuition fee | Estimated fee $27,424 to $56,776. |
SEE ALSO |DO COLLEGE SOCCER PLAYERS GET PAID?
Indiana University
In 2020–2021, the institution which is located in Bloomington, Indiana, awarded 7,959 diplomas to eligible bachelor’s degree students.
The Men’s Soccer team at Indiana University earned $192,392 in revenue. As seen by the team’s stellar 985 academic success rate, the soccer team members aren’t real stinkers in their academics.
They have won eight national championships altogether, including 8 in the last four decades. Almost every year, Indiana will be at the top of the rankings when looking at the standings.
The college has a 91% freshman retention rate, which is good and indicates that students are happy enough with it to stay for a second year.
| Soccer Team | The Indiana Hoosiers |
| Tuition fee | Estimated fee $26,186 – $52,566 |
Duke University
Duke University which makes its name in college-level soccer courtesy of its teams, the Duke Blue Devils men’s and women’s soccer.
The women’s squad is the most prominent, having won the ACC regular season championship 3 times. It has participated in the College Cup three times and made 23 appearances in the NCAA Division 1 women’s tournament.
Only one championship has been won by the men’s team, and that was in 1986. It nonetheless continues to be a regular participant in the NCAA tournament.
The Men’s Soccer team generated $1,377,777 in revenue. The team excels in academics as well as in soccer, with a flawless academic proficiency rating of 1000.
Those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more chances to interact with their lecturers, thanks to the school’s 6 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio.
| Soccer Team | Duke Blue Devils |
| Tuition fee | Estimated fee is $78,828. |
In the academic year of 2020–2021, Omaha, Nebraska–based university awarded 1,429 bachelor’s degrees.
With 22 appearances, it is a top-notch team that is renowned for its consistency in the NCAA Division 1 men’s soccer competition.
It has made five College Cup appearances, 13 regular-season conference championship wins, and then another 13 tournament triumphs. The 6000-seat soccer stadium is just one of the college’s top training facilities in the country.
The Creighton University men’s soccer team generated $1,369,250 in revenue. With an excellent academic progress rate of 982, the team shows that its members are enthusiastic about their academics as well.
The likelihood of new students staying at the college is high, with the retention of first-year students being 92%.
| Soccer Team | Creighton Blue Jays |
| Tuition fee | Estimated fee is $41,176. |
University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
Both in men’s and women’s soccer, the University of North Carolina consistently ranks among the best.
The North Carolina Tar Heels have won 23 Atlantic Coast Conference championships and 21 NCAA national championships. On the other hand, the men’s team has two NCAA championship wins and over twenty appearances in the NCAA tournament.
They successfully made back-to-back Final Fours in 2016 and 2017 but were unable to win their third national championship. Their most impressive streak occurred roughly ten years ago when they progressed to 3 consecutive Final Fours and won the national championship in 2011.
Chapel Hill has always had a strong soccer culture. For every game, they frequently attract sizable fans, making it incredibly difficult for visiting teams to secure a win.
Money-wise, the University of North Carolina’s men’s soccer team earned $764,712 in revenue. The team has a perfect academic progress rate of 1000, showing that they are also ace in their academics.
The institution does a great job at keeping its students, with a freshman retention rate of 95%.
| Soccer Team | North Carolina Tar Heels |
| Tuition fee | Estimated fee $24,228 to $27,624 |
Other Notable Soccer College in the USA
- Clemson University
- Northwestern University
- University of Washington
- University of Connecticut
- Louis University
- University of Akron
What follows after playing college soccer?
You can become a professional soccer player after college and play in several leagues. Technically talented players often follow this route after finishing their academics.
Do College Soccer Players Get Paid?
No, college soccer players are not paid for their participation in games. But if they excel in the sport, they may be eligible for scholarships to help cover expenses like tuition.
What are the benefits of playing college soccer?
One of the games you may play in college to help you stay in shape and have an active mind is college soccer.
You could also meet new people with whom you might develop strong relationships that will be beneficial in your life.