by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. We have ranked 10 programs for Men’s Baseball (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual scores each program on a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Vanderbilt University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Baseball (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Nashville, TN. The team's NCAA APR score is 990, alongside a GSR of 92%. About 39% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $219,459, compared with $219,459 spent per athlete. The school awards about $42,235 in athletic aid per athlete.
Belmont University earned the #2 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Nashville, TN. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 995, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 81%. The program generates about $45,170 in revenue per athlete, compared with $45,170 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $21,742.
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earned the #3 place for student athletes. Located in Knoxville, TN, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is a public institution. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville records an NCAA APR of 990, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 26%. Team revenue averages $186,665 per participant, with expenses of about $208,105 per participant. The school awards about $29,054 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Memphis came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Baseball (Division I). University of Memphis is a public school based in Memphis, TN. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 989, alongside a GSR of 96%. About 61% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $56,641 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $56,641 per participant. Athletic aid averages $16,106 per athlete.
Lipscomb University earned the #5 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Nashville, TN. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 976, alongside a GSR of 86%. Its federal graduation rate is 42%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $48,364, with expenses of about $48,364 per participant. Athletic aid averages $18,176 per athlete.
East Tennessee State University landed the #6 spot this year. East Tennessee State University is a public school based in Johnson City, TN. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 985, and a 83% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 65%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $99,401, compared with $99,401 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $11,444 per athlete.
Middle Tennessee State University placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball (Division I). Located in Murfreesboro, TN, Middle Tennessee State University is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 975, and a 93% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 61%. Team revenue averages $32,739 per participant, against $32,739 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $20,110 per athlete.
Tennessee Technological University did well this year, earning the #8 position. Based in Cookeville, TN, Tennessee Technological University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 985, alongside a GSR of 94%. Its federal graduation rate is 59%. The program generates about $27,834 in revenue per athlete, against $27,834 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $14,453 per athlete.
Austin Peay State University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball (Division I). Located in Clarksville, TN, Austin Peay State University is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 984, and a 90% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 57%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $42,794, compared with $42,794 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,483.
The University of Tennessee-Martin came in at #10 in this year's ranking. The University of Tennessee-Martin is a public school based in Martin, TN. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 967, with a Graduation Success Rate of 79%. Its federal graduation rate is 37%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $27,973, compared with $27,679 spent per athlete. The school awards about $9,021 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.