Prior to the 1980s, the literature on the experiences of collegiate student athletes was rather scarce. Since that time the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has passed several eligibility rules to address concerns about the academic performance and the overall experience of student athletes on college campuses. As such, the literature related to the impact of participation in college sports on student learning and personal development over the past two decades has grown substantially. Of particular interest today is the extent to which student athletes benefit from their college experience in ways similar to their nonathlete peers. As future research is conducted on student athletes' college experiences, it is imperative to understand the data sources available to answer key questions for the purpose of developing policy and practice. This chapter discusses data sources available for studying the experience of student athletes on college campuses and highlights the need for national-level data to address complex questions concerning this population.