by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. This list ranks 12 programs for Men’s Basketball 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.
Not quite what you need? Jump to the options below.
Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Leading the list is West Liberty University, our #1 college for Men's Basketball. Based in West Liberty, WV, West Liberty University is a public institution. The program generates about $41,401 in revenue per athlete, compared with $41,401 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $4,841 per athlete.
West Virginia University landed the #2 spot for Men's Basketball. West Virginia University is a public school based in Morgantown, WV. The team's NCAA APR score is 994, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. About 50% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $638,932 in revenue per athlete, compared with $638,932 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $19,705.
Marshall University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball, at #3. Marshall University is a public school based in Huntington, WV. Marshall University records an NCAA APR of 995, with a Graduation Success Rate of 67%. Its federal graduation rate is 50%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $224,623, compared with $224,623 spent per athlete. The school awards about $13,594 in athletic aid per athlete.
Fairmont State University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball, at #4. Based in Fairmont, WV, Fairmont State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $45,517, with expenses of about $42,059 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,874.
Shepherd University is one of the top schools for Men's Basketball, at #5. Shepherd University is a public school based in Shepherdstown, WV. Team revenue averages $30,225 per participant, compared with $30,225 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $3,796 per athlete.
Davis & Elkins College ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Men's Basketball. Davis & Elkins College is a private not-for-profit school based in Elkins, WV. Team revenue averages $17,319 per participant, with expenses of about $16,790 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,033.
West Virginia Wesleyan College did well this year, earning the #7 position. West Virginia Wesleyan College is a private not-for-profit school based in Buckhannon, WV. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $12,876, against $12,876 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $3,641 per athlete.
Bluefield State University landed the #8 spot this year. Bluefield State University is a public school based in Bluefield, WV. Team revenue averages $21,624 per participant, with expenses of about $21,624 per participant. Athletic aid averages $5,976 per athlete.
Concord University landed the #9 spot this year. Concord University is a public school based in Athens, WV. Team revenue averages $15,642 per participant, with expenses of about $15,642 per participant. Athletic aid averages $3,226 per athlete.
West Virginia State University placed #10 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball. Based in Institute, WV, West Virginia State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $32,611 per participant, with expenses of about $32,611 per participant. Athletic aid averages $6,933 per athlete.
Wheeling University placed #11 among the best colleges for Men's Basketball. Located in Wheeling, WV, Wheeling University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $15,299 per participant, with expenses of about $28,252 per participant. The school awards about $8,271 in athletic aid per athlete.
Glenville State University came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Glenville State University is a public school based in Glenville, WV. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,642, with expenses of about $17,493 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,454.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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.