You're probably looking at a massive list of D1 schools because you want to know which universities have the biggest budgets, the loudest stadiums, and the most prestige. Or maybe you're a high school athlete trying to figure out where a scholarship might actually be a possibility in 2026.
Honestly? Most people think Division I is just the schools they see on Saturday afternoon TV.
But the reality is way messier. Right now, there are about 366 D1 schools scattered across the United States. Some are global brands like Alabama or Michigan. Others are tiny private schools in the Northeast that you’ve probably never heard of.
The "D1" label isn't just about being good at sports. It's basically a commitment to a specific level of financial investment and scholarship volume. And since the massive 2025 NCAA settlement—the one that finally let schools pay athletes directly—the gap between the "rich" D1 schools and the "trying to survive" D1 schools has become a canyon.
What Actually Makes a School Division I?
It’s not just a vibe. To be on the list of D1 schools, a university has to meet strict NCAA criteria. They have to sponsor at least 14 sports (seven for men and seven for women, or six for men and eight for women). They have to play a certain percentage of their games against other D1 opponents.
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Basically, if you aren't spending millions on facilities and providing a specific number of scholarships, the NCAA will eventually show you the door. In 2026, we're seeing more movement than ever. Schools like Le Moyne and West Georgia are still navigating the transition period to become full D1 members, while others are wondering if they can keep up with the new "roster limit" rules that replaced the old scholarship caps.
The Power Four vs. Everyone Else
When most fans talk about D1, they’re really talking about the Power Four. These are the behemoths. If you're looking for the schools with the $100 million TV deals and the private jets, they’re here:
- SEC (Southeastern Conference): Think Florida, Georgia, and the new additions like Texas and Oklahoma.
- Big Ten: This now stretches from Rutgers in NJ all the way to USC and Washington on the West Coast.
- Big 12: A chaotic mix of schools like Arizona, UCF, and Kansas.
- ACC: The home of Duke, UNC, and strangely enough, Cal and Stanford now.
The Full List of D1 Schools (By the Numbers)
Listing every single one of the 360+ schools here would be a slog to read, but you can group them by how they operate.
There are 134 schools in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision). These are the ones you see in bowl games. Then you have about 128 schools in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision)—schools like North Dakota State or Montana that have great football but smaller budgets.
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Then there are the "non-football" D1 schools. These are places like Gonzaga or St. John’s. They might be a national powerhouse in basketball, but they don't field a football team at all.
Why the Ivy League is Different
You’ll always see the eight Ivies—Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.—on the list of D1 schools. But they’re the "kinda-sorta" members. They play at the highest level, they have some of the best facilities, but they do not award athletic scholarships. If you play for Yale, you're getting a need-based financial aid package, not a full-ride athletic scholarship.
The 2026 Shift: Roster Limits and Payments
If you’re looking at this list because you want to get recruited, you need to know that the rules just changed.
Starting in late 2025, the NCAA got rid of the old scholarship caps. For example, D1 baseball used to be limited to 11.7 scholarships to be split among 30+ guys. Now, schools can offer a scholarship to every single person on the 34-man roster.
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But here is the catch: Not every school on the D1 list can afford to do that.
A school like Ohio State might max out scholarships for every sport. A smaller D1 school in the Northeast Conference (NEC) or the Southland Conference might stick to the bare minimum because they just don't have the cash. This is creating a "Premier League" style split within Division I itself.
Finding the Right School for You
If you're using a list of D1 schools to build a recruiting profile or just to understand the landscape, don't just look at the names. Look at the conference.
- High Major: Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, ACC, Big East (Basketball).
- Mid-Major: Sun Belt, Mountain West, A-10, AAC.
- Low-Major: MEAC, SWAC, NEC, Patriot League.
The experience of being an athlete at a "Low-Major" school is closer to a Division II experience than it is to playing at Alabama. You’re taking commercial flights (or long bus rides), staying in standard hotels, and playing in front of smaller crowds.
Actionable Steps for Navigating the D1 List
- Check the Revenue: Use the NCAA Finances Database to see how much a school actually spends on its athletes.
- Verify the Transition Status: If a school is "reclassifying," they might not be eligible for NCAA post-season play (like March Madness) for a few years.
- Look at Roster Spots: With the new 2026 roster limits, many schools are actually cutting spots in sports like track and field to make room for more football players.
- Ask About the "House" Settlement: If you're being recruited, ask the coach if the school is opting into the revenue-sharing model. If they aren't, you might be missing out on a share of that $20 million cap.
The list of D1 schools is more fluid than it’s ever been. Conferences are collapsing and reforming every summer. What stays the same is the prestige—no matter where they sit on the financial spectrum, these 360+ schools represent the top tier of the American collegiate system.
Next Steps:
Go to the official NCAA directory to filter schools by your specific sport. Since roster sizes are now capped (e.g., 105 for football, 15 for basketball), check the 2026 team sites to see how many "walk-on" spots even exist anymore—most are being converted to scholarship slots.