by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 9 programs for Men’s Basketball (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual scores each program on 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:
No school ranked higher than Guilford College this year for Men's Basketball (Division III). Located in Greensboro, NC, Guilford College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $11,709 per participant, compared with $12,172 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte landed the #2 spot for Men's Basketball (Division III). Located in Charlotte, NC, Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,245, compared with $8,245 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
William Peace University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball (Division III), at #3. Located in Raleigh, NC, William Peace University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $8,865 per participant, with expenses of about $7,996 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
North Carolina Wesleyan University came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division III). North Carolina Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit school based in Rocky Mount, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,015, compared with $11,015 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Greensboro College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). Based in Greensboro, NC, Greensboro College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $10,073 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $10,073 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Warren Wilson College came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Warren Wilson College is a private not-for-profit school based in Swannanoa, NC. Team revenue averages $5,130 per participant, with expenses of about $4,454 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Pfeiffer University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Located in Misenheimer, NC, Pfeiffer University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,925, compared with $3,036 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Brevard College ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Men's Basketball (Division III). Based in Brevard, NC, Brevard College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $10,650 in revenue per athlete, against $10,650 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $327 per athlete.
Methodist University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Located in Fayetteville, NC, Methodist University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $5,094 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $5,094 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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.