Ranking Each Conference's Schools Academically

According to US News & World Report 2021 Rankings, all rankings are national university based unless otherwise noted

American Athletic Conference

1. Naval Academy #6 (Liberal Arts)

2. Tulane #43

3. Southern Methodist #66

4. South Florida #103

5. Temple #103

6. Cincinnati #143

7. Tulsa #143

8. Central Florida #160

9. Houston #176

10. East Carolina #217

11. Memphis #258

Atlantic Coast Conference

1. Duke #12

2. Notre Dame #19

3. Virginia #26

4. North Carolina #28

5. Wake Forest #28

6. Boston College #35

7. Georgia Tech #35

8. Miami #49

9. Florida State #58

10. Pittsburgh #58

11. Syracuse #58

12. Clemson #74

13. Virginia Tech #74

14. North Carolina State #80

15. Louisville #176

Big 12 Conference

1. Texas #42

2. Baylor #76

3. Texas Christian #80

4. Iowa State #118

5. Kansas #124

6. Oklahoma #133

7. Kansas State #170

8. Oklahoma State #187

9. Texas Tech #217

10. West Virginia #241

Big 10 Conference

1. Northwestern #9

2. Michigan #24

3. Wisconsin #42

4. Illinois #47

5. Ohio State #53

6. Purdue #53

7. Maryland #58

8. Penn State #63

9. Rutgers #63

10. Minnesota #66

11. Indiana #76

12. Michigan State #80

13. Iowa #88

14. Nebraska #133

Conference USA

1. Rice #16

2. UAB #153

3. Florida International #187

4. Charlotte #227

5. North Texas #249

6. Old Dominion #258

7. Florida Atlantic #272

8. Marshall #284

9. Louisiana Tech N/A

10. Middle Tennessee N/A

11. Southern Miss N/A

12. UTEP N/A

13. UTSA N/A

14. Western Kentucky N/A

FBS Independents

1. Army #15 (Liberal Arts)

2. Connecticut #63

3. Massachusetts #66

4. Brigham Young #80

5. New Mexico State #241

6. Liberty N/A

Mid-American Conference

1. Buffalo #88

2. Miami Ohio #103

3. Ohio #176

4. Kent State #217

5. Central Michigan #249

6. Bowling Green #258

7. Western Michigan #258

8. Akron #272

9. Ball State #284

10. Eastern Michigan N/A

11. Northern Illinois N/A

12. Toledo N/A

Mountain West Conference

1. Air Force #28 (Liberal Arts)

2. San Diego State #143

3. Colorado State #153

4. Hawaii #170

5. New Mexico #187

6. Fresno State #196

7. Wyoming #196

8. Nevada #227

9. Utah State #241

10. UNLV #258

11. Boise State N/A

12. San Jose State N/A (regional school)

PAC 12 Conference

1. Stanford #6

2. UCLA #20

3. California #22

4. Southern California #24

5. Washington #58

6. Arizona #97

7. Utah #97

8. Arizona State #103

9. Colorado #103

10. Oregon #103

11. Oregon State #153

12. Washington State #176

Southeastern Conference

1. Vanderbilt #14

2. Florida #30

3. Georgia #47

4. Texas A&M #66

5. Auburn #97

6. Tennessee #112

7. South Carolina #118

8. Missouri #124

9. Kentucky #133

10. Alabama #143

11. LSU #153

12. Arkansas #160

13. Ole Miss #160

14. Mississippi State #206

Sun Belt Conference

1. Georgia State #206

2. Arkansas State N/A

3. Georgia Southern N/A

4. Louisiana N/A

5. South Alabama N/A

6. Texas State N/A

7. ULM N/A

8. Appalachian State N/A (regional school)

9. Coastal Carolina N/A (regional school)

10. Troy N/A (regional school)