by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 5 schools for Men’s Basketball (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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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Explore the leading programs below:
Lewis University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division II). Located in Romeoville, IL, Lewis University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $40,584 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $40,584 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $9,669.
University of Illinois Springfield came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division II). Located in Springfield, IL, University of Illinois Springfield is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $36,656, against $36,656 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,768.
Roosevelt University landed the #3 spot for Men's Basketball (Division II). Located in Chicago, IL, Roosevelt University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $42,789 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $42,789 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,633.
McKendree University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball (Division II), at #4. Located in Lebanon, IL, McKendree University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $39,193 per participant, compared with $39,193 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,695 per athlete.
Quincy University earned the #5 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Quincy, IL. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $30,086, with expenses of about $29,934 per participant. The school awards about $8,507 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.