by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 9 colleges 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:
Grinnell College earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Basketball (Division III). Grinnell College is a private not-for-profit school based in Grinnell, IA. The program generates about $8,516 in revenue per athlete, compared with $8,516 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Wartburg College ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Waverly, IA. Team revenue averages $9,055 per participant, compared with $9,055 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Loras College is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball (Division III), at #3. This private not-for-profit school is set in Dubuque, IA. The program generates about $8,931 in revenue per athlete, compared with $8,931 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Luther College landed the #4 spot for Men's Basketball (Division III). Luther College is a private not-for-profit school based in Decorah, IA. Team revenue averages $4,069 per participant, compared with $4,070 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Cornell College is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball (Division III), at #5. This private not-for-profit school is set in Mount Vernon, IA. The program generates about $7,064 in revenue per athlete, compared with $6,404 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Simpson College placed #6 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball (Division III). Based in Indianola, IA, Simpson College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $7,706 per participant, against $7,703 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Buena Vista University landed the #7 spot this year. Buena Vista University is a private not-for-profit school based in Storm Lake, IA. Team revenue averages $10,798 per participant, compared with $10,798 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Dubuque landed the #8 spot this year. Located in Dubuque, IA, University of Dubuque is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $15,218 in revenue per athlete, against $13,274 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Coe College did well this year, earning the #9 position. Located in Cedar Rapids, IA, Coe College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $6,298 in revenue per athlete, against $6,298 in expenses. 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. 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.