by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 29 programs for Men’s Baseball (Division II) in Plains States by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual evaluates each program using 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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Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Rockhurst University this year for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. Located in Kansas City, MO, Rockhurst University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $13,818 per participant, compared with $13,818 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,130.
Maryville University of Saint Louis ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. Located in Saint Louis, MO, Maryville University of Saint Louis is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $17,257, compared with $14,869 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,338 per athlete.
Drury University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. Based in Springfield, MO, Drury University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $17,080 per participant, with expenses of about $17,080 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,859.
Missouri University of Science and Technology came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. Located in Rolla, MO, Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $16,061, with expenses of about $13,303 per participant. Athletic aid averages $5,772 per athlete.
Newman University is one of the top schools for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States, at #5. Located in Wichita, KS, Newman University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $18,151, compared with $18,151 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $10,192 per athlete.
University of Mary ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. University of Mary is a private not-for-profit school based in Bismarck, ND. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,396, compared with $8,396 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,321 per athlete.
William Jewell College landed the #7 spot this year. Located in Liberty, MO, William Jewell College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,989, compared with $8,528 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $7,219 per athlete.
University of Minnesota-Duluth did well this year, earning the #8 position. University of Minnesota-Duluth is a public school based in Duluth, MN. The program generates about $9,499 in revenue per athlete, against $9,499 in expenses. The school awards about $5,671 in athletic aid per athlete.
Northwest Missouri State University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. Northwest Missouri State University is a public school based in Maryville, MO. Team revenue averages $12,708 per participant, compared with $12,708 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,287.
University of Missouri-St Louis placed #10 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. University of Missouri-St Louis is a public school based in Saint Louis, MO. The program generates about $12,159 in revenue per athlete, compared with $11,842 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,395.
University of Minnesota-Crookston placed #11 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. University of Minnesota-Crookston is a public school based in Crookston, MN. The program generates about $17,984 in revenue per athlete, compared with $17,984 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $7,101 per athlete.
Pittsburg State University ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. Located in Pittsburg, KS, Pittsburg State University is a public institution. The program generates about $14,174 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $14,174 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,160.
Emporia State University came in at #13 in this year's ranking. Based in Emporia, KS, Emporia State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $19,877, with expenses of about $19,883 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,709.
Truman State University placed #14 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. Based in Kirksville, MO, Truman State University is a public institution. The program generates about $8,234 in revenue per athlete, compared with $8,234 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,206.
Washburn University ranked #15 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. Located in Topeka, KS, Washburn University is a public institution. The program generates about $15,129 in revenue per athlete, compared with $15,129 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $5,727 per athlete.
Winona State University came in at #16 in this year's ranking. Located in Winona, MN, Winona State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,674, compared with $8,674 spent per athlete. The school awards about $3,907 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Sioux Falls did well this year, earning the #17 position. Located in Sioux Falls, SD, University of Sioux Falls is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $7,744 in revenue per athlete, against $7,676 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,811.
Southwest Baptist University landed the #18 spot this year. Southwest Baptist University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bolivar, MO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,366, against $11,366 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,015.
University of Central Missouri landed the #19 spot this year. Located in Warrensburg, MO, University of Central Missouri is a public institution. The program generates about $14,942 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $14,942 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,385.
Bemidji State University ranked #20 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. This public school is set in Bemidji, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,428, with expenses of about $5,428 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,153.
Fort Hays State University placed #21 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. This public school is set in Hays, KS. The program generates about $14,241 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $14,241 per participant. Athletic aid averages $5,057 per athlete.
Saint Cloud State University placed #22 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. Saint Cloud State University is a public school based in Saint Cloud, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,276, compared with $13,276 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $5,426 per athlete.
Missouri Western State University landed the #23 spot this year. This public school is set in Saint Joseph, MO. Team revenue averages $11,969 per participant, compared with $11,568 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $7,151 per athlete.
Missouri Southern State University landed the #24 spot this year. This public school is set in Joplin, MO. Team revenue averages $15,524 per participant, against $15,285 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,261.
Northern State University ranked #25 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball (Division II) in Plains States. Based in Aberdeen, SD, Northern State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,130, compared with $9,092 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,884.
These programs also stood out among the best this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Programs are scored on 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.
