by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 17 schools for Men’s Basketball (Division III) 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Our analysis found University of Chicago to be the best college for Men's Basketball (Division III) in Illinois. Based in Chicago, IL, University of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $34,632 in revenue per athlete, against $34,632 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Illinois Wesleyan University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Bloomington, IL, Illinois Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $15,802 per participant, compared with $15,802 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
North Central College came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division III). Based in Naperville, IL, North Central College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $12,480 in revenue per athlete, compared with $11,770 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Elmhurst University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball (Division III), at #4. This private not-for-profit school is set in Elmhurst, IL. The program generates about $14,830 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $13,975 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Illinois Institute of Technology landed the #5 spot for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Chicago, IL. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,684, against $8,684 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Lake Forest College landed the #6 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Lake Forest, IL. Team revenue averages $10,203 per participant, compared with $10,203 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Knox College did well this year, earning the #7 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Galesburg, IL. Team revenue averages $12,419 per participant, against $12,709 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Millikin University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Millikin University is a private not-for-profit school based in Decatur, IL. Team revenue averages $11,024 per participant, with expenses of about $11,024 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Illinois College placed #9 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). Illinois College is a private not-for-profit school based in Jacksonville, IL. Team revenue averages $10,065 per participant, with expenses of about $10,065 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
North Park University did well this year, earning the #10 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Chicago, IL. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,803, with expenses of about $10,803 per participant. The school awards about $32 in athletic aid per athlete.
Aurora University ranked #11 on our 2026 list for Men's Basketball (Division III). Based in Aurora, IL, Aurora University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,918, against $9,918 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Blackburn College did well this year, earning the #12 position. Located in Carlinville, IL, Blackburn College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $11,934 per participant, compared with $11,934 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Concordia University-Chicago landed the #13 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in River Forest, IL. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,634, compared with $7,621 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Greenville University came in at #14 in this year's ranking. Located in Greenville, IL, Greenville University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,825, compared with $4,404 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Rockford University placed #15 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). Rockford University is a private not-for-profit school based in Rockford, IL. The program generates about $8,363 in revenue per athlete, compared with $8,363 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Eureka College ranked #16 on our 2026 list for Men's Basketball (Division III). Based in Eureka, IL, Eureka College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $4,998 in revenue per athlete, compared with $4,998 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.