by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. Our ranking highlights 12 colleges for Men’s Basketball (Division II) 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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Learn more about these schools below:
Rockhurst University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division II). Located in Kansas City, MO, Rockhurst University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $45,476, against $45,476 in expenses. The school awards about $8,130 in athletic aid per athlete.
Maryville University of Saint Louis earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Saint Louis, MO, Maryville University of Saint Louis is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $51,563 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $49,444 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,338.
Drury University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball (Division II), at #3. Located in Springfield, MO, Drury University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $51,026 in revenue per athlete, compared with $51,026 spent per athlete. The school awards about $8,859 in athletic aid per athlete.
Northwest Missouri State University landed the #4 spot for Men's Basketball (Division II). Located in Maryville, MO, Northwest Missouri State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $64,964 per participant, against $64,964 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $6,287 per athlete.
Missouri University of Science and Technology earned the #5 place for student athletes. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public school based in Rolla, MO. The program generates about $38,685 in revenue per athlete, compared with $38,685 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,772.
Truman State University placed #6 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division II). This public school is set in Kirksville, MO. Team revenue averages $33,983 per participant, compared with $33,983 spent per athlete. The school awards about $3,206 in athletic aid per athlete.
William Jewell College came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Located in Liberty, MO, William Jewell College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $24,180 per participant, compared with $31,455 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,219.
University of Missouri-St Louis did well this year, earning the #8 position. Based in Saint Louis, MO, University of Missouri-St Louis is a public institution. The program generates about $44,972 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $46,697 per participant. The school awards about $6,395 in athletic aid per athlete.
Missouri Western State University placed #9 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division II). This public school is set in Saint Joseph, MO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $60,931, compared with $61,056 spent per athlete. The school awards about $7,151 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Central Missouri came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Based in Warrensburg, MO, University of Central Missouri is a public institution. The program generates about $61,055 in revenue per athlete, against $61,055 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,385 per athlete.
Southwest Baptist University ranked #11 on our 2026 list for Men's Basketball (Division II). Southwest Baptist University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bolivar, MO. Team revenue averages $31,351 per participant, against $31,351 in expenses. The school awards about $7,015 in athletic aid per athlete.
Missouri Southern State University placed #12 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division II). Based in Joplin, MO, Missouri Southern State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $43,053 per participant, against $41,356 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,261 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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.
