by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 14 colleges for Men’s Basketball (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, 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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Learn more about these schools below:
No school ranked higher than Temple University this year for Men's Basketball (Division I). Based in Philadelphia, PA, Temple University is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 994, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 92%. The program generates about $423,156 in revenue per athlete, against $423,156 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $28,567 per athlete.
Villanova University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division I). Villanova University is a private not-for-profit school based in Villanova, PA. Villanova University records an NCAA APR of 988, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 50%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,103,619, with expenses of about $1,060,674 per participant. The school awards about $25,480 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division I). University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus is a public school based in Pittsburgh, PA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 989, with a Graduation Success Rate of 88%. About 8% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $867,131 per participant, with expenses of about $714,861 per participant. The school awards about $30,613 in athletic aid per athlete.
Drexel University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball (Division I), at #4. Located in Philadelphia, PA, Drexel University is a private not-for-profit institution. Drexel University records an NCAA APR of 995, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 73%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $221,405, against $221,405 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $25,843.
Bucknell University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division I). Based in Lewisburg, PA, Bucknell University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 995, with a Graduation Success Rate of 82%. About 75% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $196,320 in revenue per athlete, compared with $196,320 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $19,655.
Lehigh University did well this year, earning the #6 position. Based in Bethlehem, PA, Lehigh University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 89%. The federal graduation rate stands at 64%. The program generates about $150,156 in revenue per athlete, compared with $150,156 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $19,391 per athlete.
Duquesne University placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division I). Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Duquesne University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 989, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 13%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $334,008, against $334,008 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $17,755 per athlete.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus did well this year, earning the #8 position. This public school is set in University Park, PA. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 953, with a Graduation Success Rate of 69%. The federal graduation rate stands at 50%. The program generates about $1,083,875 in revenue per athlete, compared with $1,031,039 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $25,170.
University of Pennsylvania placed #9 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division I). University of Pennsylvania is a private not-for-profit school based in Philadelphia, PA. University of Pennsylvania records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $147,326, with expenses of about $147,326 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Lafayette College placed #10 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Easton, PA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 984, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. About 73% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $176,579 in revenue per athlete, compared with $176,579 spent per athlete. The school awards about $18,987 in athletic aid per athlete.
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia landed the #11 spot this year. Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia is a private not-for-profit school based in Philadelphia, PA. Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia records an NCAA APR of 972, and a 89% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 60%. The program generates about $329,187 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $329,187 per participant. The school awards about $13,694 in athletic aid per athlete.
La Salle University did well this year, earning the #12 position. Based in Philadelphia, PA, La Salle University is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 978, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 36%. The program generates about $239,536 in revenue per athlete, against $239,536 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $16,413 per athlete.
Saint Francis University placed #13 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Loretto, PA. Student-athletes graduate at a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 75% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $104,092, against $104,092 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,253.
Robert Morris University came in at #14 in this year's ranking. Based in Moon Township, PA, Robert Morris University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 958, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 12%. The program generates about $165,386 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $165,386 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $17,083.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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
See our data sources and methodologies.