by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 8 schools for Men’s Basketball (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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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Learn more about these schools below:
No school ranked higher than California Institute of Technology this year for Men's Basketball (Division III). Located in Pasadena, CA, California Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $15,641 per participant, compared with $15,641 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Occidental College ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). Located in Los Angeles, CA, Occidental College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $15,953 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $15,019 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of California-Santa Cruz came in at #3 on this year's ranking 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, against $22,166 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Chapman University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Orange, CA. Team revenue averages $15,624 per participant, against $15,624 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Redlands came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division III). Located in Redlands, CA, University of Redlands is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $16,140, against $14,794 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
California Lutheran University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Thousand Oaks, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,292, compared with $13,292 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of La Verne ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Men's Basketball (Division III). Based in La Verne, CA, University of La Verne is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,038, compared with $11,208 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Whittier College came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Located in Whittier, CA, Whittier College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,269, with expenses of about $9,543 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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.