by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 7 colleges for Men’s Basketball (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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.
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Explore the leading programs below:
Michigan State University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division I). This public school is set in East Lansing, MI. Michigan State University records an NCAA APR of 994, with a Graduation Success Rate of 80%. About 57% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $1,363,637 in revenue per athlete, against $1,285,421 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $22,500.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor earned the #2 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Ann Arbor, MI. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor records an NCAA APR of 962, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. About 54% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,325,618, with expenses of about $897,407 per participant. The school awards about $28,650 in athletic aid per athlete.
Western Michigan University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division I). This public school is set in Kalamazoo, MI. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 984, with a Graduation Success Rate of 89%. About 80% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $148,478 in revenue per athlete, compared with $148,478 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $19,248.
Eastern Michigan University landed the #4 spot for Men's Basketball (Division I). This public school is set in Ypsilanti, MI. The team's NCAA APR score is 978, and a 82% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 13%. Team revenue averages $160,908 per participant, compared with $160,908 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $16,547.
Oakland University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball (Division I), at #5. This public school is set in Rochester Hills, MI. The team's NCAA APR score is 946, with a Graduation Success Rate of 86%. About 27% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $190,320, against $190,320 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $12,959.
Central Michigan University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Central Michigan University is a public school based in Mount Pleasant, MI. Central Michigan University records an NCAA APR of 949, and a 77% Graduation Success Rate. About 56% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $149,978 in revenue per athlete, against $149,978 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $12,123.
University of Detroit Mercy placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division I). Based in Detroit, MI, University of Detroit Mercy is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 916, alongside a GSR of 73%. The federal graduation rate stands at 25%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $172,233, with expenses of about $171,703 per participant. The school awards about $11,135 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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
See our data sources and methodologies.