by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. We have ranked 16 programs for Men’s Basketball (Division III) 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:
California Institute of Technology tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). Located in Pasadena, CA, California Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,641, compared with $15,641 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of California-Santa Cruz landed the #2 spot for Men's Basketball (Division III). Located in Santa Cruz, CA, University of California-Santa Cruz is a public institution. Team revenue averages $22,166 per participant, compared with $22,166 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Whitman College came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Walla Walla, WA. Team revenue averages $19,115 per participant, against $18,443 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Occidental College ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Los Angeles, CA. The program generates about $15,953 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $15,019 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Chapman University earned the #5 place for student athletes. Chapman University is a private not-for-profit school based in Orange, CA. Team revenue averages $15,624 per participant, with expenses of about $15,624 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
California Lutheran University landed the #6 spot this year. Based in Thousand Oaks, CA, California Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,292, against $13,292 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
George Fox University did well this year, earning the #7 position. George Fox University is a private not-for-profit school based in Newberg, OR. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $19,259, compared with $19,545 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Redlands placed #8 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Redlands, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $16,140, compared with $14,794 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Willamette University did well this year, earning the #9 position. Based in Salem, OR, Willamette University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,415, compared with $11,415 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Whitworth University came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Whitworth University is a private not-for-profit school based in Spokane, WA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $21,968, against $19,193 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Pacific Lutheran University placed #11 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Tacoma, WA. Team revenue averages $15,634 per participant, compared with $13,451 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Lewis & Clark College placed #12 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). Located in Portland, OR, Lewis & Clark College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,029, compared with $10,029 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Linfield University landed the #13 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in McMinnville, OR. The program generates about $16,921 in revenue per athlete, compared with $12,227 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of La Verne ranked #14 on our 2026 list for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in La Verne, CA. Team revenue averages $11,038 per participant, against $11,208 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Puget Sound ranked #15 on our 2026 list for Men's Basketball (Division III). University of Puget Sound is a private not-for-profit school based in Tacoma, WA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,079, compared with $10,079 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Whittier College landed the #16 spot this year. Whittier College is a private not-for-profit school based in Whittier, CA. Team revenue averages $10,269 per participant, compared with $9,543 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*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.