by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 230 colleges for Men’s Baseball by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual weighs 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Use the shortcuts below.
Learn more about these schools below:
No school ranked higher than Duke University this year for Men's Baseball. Based in Durham, NC, Duke University is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, and a 96% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 76%. Team revenue averages $72,624 per participant, compared with $114,877 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $34,321 per athlete.
University of Virginia-Main Campus earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Charlottesville, VA, University of Virginia-Main Campus is a public institution. University of Virginia-Main Campus records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 95%. The federal graduation rate stands at 58%. The program generates about $156,028 in revenue per athlete, compared with $156,028 spent per athlete. The school awards about $26,976 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Richmond landed the #3 spot for Men's Baseball. Located in University of Richmond, VA, University of Richmond is a private not-for-profit institution. University of Richmond records an NCAA APR of 997, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 83% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $45,709, with expenses of about $45,709 per participant. The school awards about $27,609 in athletic aid per athlete.
The University of Alabama landed the #4 spot for Men's Baseball. This public school is set in Tuscaloosa, AL. The team's NCAA APR score is 995, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 67% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $136,100 per participant, against $136,100 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $20,760.
Elon University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball. Based in Elon, NC, Elon University is a private not-for-profit institution. Elon University records an NCAA APR of 998, alongside a GSR of 96%. The federal graduation rate stands at 86%. The program generates about $46,085 in revenue per athlete, compared with $46,085 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $25,795 per athlete.
Belmont University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball. Based in Nashville, TN, Belmont University is a private not-for-profit institution. Belmont University records an NCAA APR of 995, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 81% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $45,170 per participant, compared with $45,170 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $21,742.
Auburn University placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball. Based in Auburn, AL, Auburn University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 998, with a Graduation Success Rate of 95%. The federal graduation rate stands at 38%. Team revenue averages $96,157 per participant, compared with $176,061 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $28,233.
Emory University landed the #8 spot this year. Emory University is a private not-for-profit school based in Atlanta, GA. The program generates about $19,879 in revenue per athlete, against $12,627 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Vanderbilt University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Nashville, TN. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 990, and a 92% Graduation Success Rate. About 39% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $219,459, with expenses of about $219,459 per participant. Athletic aid averages $42,235 per athlete.
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville landed the #10 spot this year. 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%. About 26% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $186,665 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $208,105 per participant. The school awards about $29,054 in athletic aid per athlete.
Clemson University ranked #11 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball. Clemson University is a public school based in Clemson, SC. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 983, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. About 56% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $193,564, with expenses of about $193,564 per participant. Athletic aid averages $21,730 per athlete.
Wake Forest University did well this year, earning the #12 position. Located in Winston-Salem, NC, Wake Forest University is a private not-for-profit institution. Wake Forest University records an NCAA APR of 983, with a Graduation Success Rate of 94%. Its federal graduation rate is 60%. Team revenue averages $129,593 per participant, compared with $129,593 spent per athlete. The school awards about $38,933 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Kentucky ranked #13 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball. Based in Lexington, KY, University of Kentucky is a public institution. University of Kentucky records an NCAA APR of 998, and a 94% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 25%. Team revenue averages $123,021 per participant, compared with $123,021 spent per athlete. The school awards about $23,921 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Miami came in at #14 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Coral Gables, FL. The team's NCAA APR score is 986, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 17%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $165,038, compared with $165,038 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $38,474.
University of Mississippi landed the #15 spot this year. This public school is set in University, MS. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 990, alongside a GSR of 95%. The federal graduation rate stands at 26%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $293,572, with expenses of about $264,050 per participant. The school awards about $22,457 in athletic aid per athlete.
Davidson College ranked #16 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball. This private not-for-profit school is set in Davidson, NC. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 100%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $27,459, compared with $37,642 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $9,830 per athlete.
Samford University ranked #17 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball. Samford University is a private not-for-profit school based in Birmingham, AL. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 989, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 54%. Team revenue averages $39,757 per participant, compared with $35,527 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $20,864.
Washington and Lee University ranked #18 on our 2026 list for Men's Baseball. Based in Lexington, VA, Washington and Lee University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $8,447 per participant, against $8,188 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #19 spot this year. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public school based in Chapel Hill, NC. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 985, and a 96% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 46%. The program generates about $82,704 in revenue per athlete, against $122,989 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $17,771.
Rhodes College did well this year, earning the #20 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Memphis, TN. The program generates about $12,084 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $12,084 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Florida Atlantic University placed #21 among the best colleges for Men's Baseball. Located in Boca Raton, FL, Florida Atlantic University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 993, alongside a GSR of 96%. About 52% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $49,334 in revenue per athlete, compared with $49,334 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $16,971.
Mercer University landed the #22 spot this year. Mercer University is a private not-for-profit school based in Macon, GA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 988, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 64% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $38,141 per participant, compared with $38,141 spent per athlete. The school awards about $23,898 in athletic aid per athlete.
Florida Gulf Coast University landed the #23 spot this year. Located in Fort Myers, FL, Florida Gulf Coast University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 995, and a 96% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 60%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $30,943, against $30,943 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $18,812 per athlete.
Liberty University did well this year, earning the #24 position. Based in Lynchburg, VA, Liberty University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 990, and a 96% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 54%. Team revenue averages $58,219 per participant, compared with $58,219 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $16,589.
Wofford College came in at #25 in this year's ranking. Wofford College is a private not-for-profit school based in Spartanburg, SC. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 992, with a Graduation Success Rate of 92%. Its federal graduation rate is 57%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $35,913, with expenses of about $35,913 per participant. The school awards about $26,368 in athletic aid per athlete.
Not far behind, these colleges also placed near the top this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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.