by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 10 programs for Men’s Basketball (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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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Leading the list is West Liberty University, our #1 college for Men's Basketball (Division II). This public school is set in West Liberty, WV. Team revenue averages $41,401 per participant, against $41,401 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $4,841 per athlete.
Fairmont State University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Fairmont, WV, Fairmont State University is a public institution. The program generates about $45,517 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $42,059 per participant. Athletic aid averages $4,874 per athlete.
Shepherd University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball (Division II), at #3. Located in Shepherdstown, WV, Shepherd University is a public institution. The program generates about $30,225 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $30,225 per participant. Athletic aid averages $3,796 per athlete.
Davis & Elkins College ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division II). Located in Elkins, WV, Davis & Elkins College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $17,319 in revenue per athlete, compared with $16,790 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,033.
West Virginia Wesleyan College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division II). Located in Buckhannon, WV, West Virginia Wesleyan College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $12,876 in revenue per athlete, against $12,876 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $3,641 per athlete.
Bluefield State University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Bluefield, WV, Bluefield State University is a public institution. The program generates about $21,624 in revenue per athlete, against $21,624 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,976 per athlete.
West Virginia State University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. West Virginia State University is a public school based in Institute, WV. The program generates about $32,611 in revenue per athlete, compared with $32,611 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,933 per athlete.
Concord University did well this year, earning the #8 position. Based in Athens, WV, Concord University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,642, with expenses of about $15,642 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,226.
Wheeling University placed #9 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division II). Based in Wheeling, WV, Wheeling University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $15,299 in revenue per athlete, compared with $28,252 spent per athlete. The school awards about $8,271 in athletic aid per athlete.
Glenville State University came in at #10 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Glenville, WV. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,642, with expenses of about $17,493 per participant. Athletic aid averages $4,454 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.