by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 7 programs for Men’s Basketball (Division II) 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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Leading the list is University of Minnesota-Duluth, our #1 college for Men's Basketball (Division II). This public school is set in Duluth, MN. Team revenue averages $48,711 per participant, with expenses of about $48,711 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,671.
Winona State University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Winona, MN, Winona State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $34,819, compared with $34,819 spent per athlete. The school awards about $3,907 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Minnesota-Crookston landed the #3 spot for Men's Basketball (Division II). University of Minnesota-Crookston is a public school based in Crookston, MN. The program generates about $43,279 in revenue per athlete, compared with $43,279 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,101.
Minnesota State University Moorhead came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division II). Located in Moorhead, MN, Minnesota State University Moorhead is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $41,702, against $39,959 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $3,722 per athlete.
Bemidji State University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division II). Located in Bemidji, MN, Bemidji State University is a public institution. The program generates about $33,309 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $33,309 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,153.
Saint Cloud State University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Saint Cloud, MN. The program generates about $43,861 in revenue per athlete, compared with $43,861 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,426.
Southwest Minnesota State University placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division II). Southwest Minnesota State University is a public school based in Marshall, MN. The program generates about $41,573 in revenue per athlete, compared with $41,573 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,980.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.