2023 Top Great Lakes Region Men's Basketball Schools
145Colleges
$43,240Avg Tuition & Fees*
66%Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
It's not easy to decide which college to attend when there are so many options available for student athletes. College Factual has developed its Best Colleges for Men's Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
We analyzed 145 colleges and universities across the Great Lakes Region to determine which were the best for Men's Basketball athletes in the Great Lakes Region. Our ranking methodology focuses a number of different objective factors - such as the overall quality of the school, the school's athletic competitiveness, and the amount of athletic aid per student - to make this determination. Having a great sports team is not enough - the school must also focus on academic excellence.
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as online students or returnings adults.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
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Top Colleges in the Great Lakes Region for Men's Basketball athletes in the Great Lakes Region
Our analysis found Northwestern University to be the best school for Men’s Basketball athletes in the Great Lakes Region in this year’s ranking. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,688 students in .
The Men’s Basketball team at Northwestern made $12,188,897 in revenue, while incurring $9,951,517 in expenses. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $2,237,380 in profit. The team had a perfect academic progress rate of 1000.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Northwestern did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our overall quality list.
Full Northwestern University Sports Report
A rank of #2 on our list means University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a great place for Men’s Basketball athletes in the Great Lakes Region working on their bachelor’s degree. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 8,969 students in .
The Men’s Basketball team at U-M made $21,141,253 in revenue, while incurring $10,733,046 in expenses. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $10,408,207 in profit.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. U-M also made our overall quality list, coming in at #4.
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You’ll join some of the best athletes around if you attend University of Notre Dame. The school came in at #3 in this year’s ranking. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, the fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 2,829 bachelor’s degrees in .
On the financial side of things, the Men’s Basketball team at Notre Dame made $10,817,411 in revenue. The team has a great academic progress rate of 989, signifying that team members care about their grades.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. In addition to its Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Notre Dame is ranked #2 for overall quality in the Great Lakes Region .
Full University of Notre Dame Sports Report
A rank of #4 on our list means Purdue University - Main Campus is a great place for Men’s Basketball athletes in the Great Lakes Region working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, the large public school handed out 8,676 bachelor’s degrees in .
Purdue brought in $18,911,360 while tallying up $8,821,891 in expenses for its Men’s Basketball team. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $10,089,469 in profit.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its great ranking here, Purdue is in the top 5% of all schools on our overall quality list.
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You’ll join some of the best athletes around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #5 in this year’s ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 9,741 bachelor’s degrees in .
The Men’s Basketball team at UW - Madison made $15,279,071 in revenue, while incurring $8,828,295 in expenses. Thus, the team actually made $6,450,776, which isn’t bad at all. The team members aren’t slouches in the classroom either, since the team academic progress rate is an excellent 990.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. UW - Madison also claimed a spot on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
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Michigan State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, the large public school handed out 9,247 bachelor’s degrees in .
The Men’s Basketball team at Michigan State made $26,270,974 in revenue, while incurring $16,652,793 in expenses. Thus, the team actually made $9,618,181, which isn’t bad at all. The team members aren’t slouches in the classroom either, since the team academic progress rate is an excellent 995.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Michigan State also claimed a spot on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
Read full sports report on Michigan State University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9,150 bachelor’s degrees in .
The team at UIUC took home $25,658,000 in revenue and paid out $13,195,873 in expenses in recent times. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $12,462,127 in profit. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 948.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. UIUC also claimed a spot on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
Read full sports report on University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
With a ranking of #8, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large public school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 6,665 bachelor’s degrees in .
On the financial side of things, the Men’s Basketball team at UC made $6,625,964 in revenue. The team has a great academic progress rate of 995, signifying that team members care about their grades.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full sports report on University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #9. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 7,504 bachelor’s degrees in .
IU Bloomington brought in $25,955,324 while tallying up $15,867,671 in expenses for its Men’s Basketball team. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $10,087,653 in profit. The academic progress rate of the team is 959.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. In addition to its great ranking here, IU Bloomington is in the top 10% of all schools on our overall quality list.
Full Indiana University - Bloomington Sports Report
Marquette University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 2,470 bachelor’s degrees in .
The Men’s Basketball team at Marquette made $23,422,126 in revenue, while incurring $15,787,885 in expenses. That boils down to a yearly profit of $7,634,241 for the sports team. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 968.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Marquette excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our overall quality list.
Full Marquette University Sports Report
University of Dayton landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Dayton, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,118 students in .
UDayton brought in $16,878,904 while tallying up $8,657,248 in expenses for its Men’s Basketball team. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $8,221,656 in profit. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 941.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. UDayton excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our overall quality list.
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With a ranking of #12, Butler University did quite well on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 1,278 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in .
The Men’s Basketball team at Butler made $11,680,922 in revenue, while incurring $8,750,438 in expenses. That boils down to a yearly profit of $2,930,484 for the sports team. The great academic progress rate of 980 shows that team members perform well in the classroom, too.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its great ranking here, Butler is in the top 15% of all schools on our overall quality list.
Read full sports report on Butler University
Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11,957 bachelor’s degrees in .
The team at Ohio State took home $23,575,794 in revenue and paid out $11,903,830 in expenses in recent times. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $11,671,964 in profit.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its great ranking here, Ohio State is in the top 10% of all schools on our overall quality list.
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Illinois State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #14. This large public school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 4,495 bachelor’s degrees in .
Speaking financially, the Men’s Basketball team at Illinois State took home $3,775,560 in revenue. The academic progress rate of the team is 961.
Full Illinois State University Sports Report
Xavier University did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. Xavier is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 1,348 bachelor’s degrees in .
The team at Xavier took home $16,067,816 in revenue and paid out $16,067,813 in expenses in recent times. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $3 in profit. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 967.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Xavier also is in the top 20% of our overall quality ranking.
Read full sports report on Xavier University
Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking. OHIO Athens is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5,850 bachelor’s degrees in .
Speaking financially, the Men’s Basketball team at OHIO Athens took home $3,369,808 in revenue.
Read full sports report on Ohio University - Athens Campus
Valparaiso University did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Valpo is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Valparaiso, Indiana. It awarded 736 bachelor’s degrees in .
The Men’s Basketball team at Valpo brought home $2,576,024 in revenue in a single year. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 971.
Read full sports report on Valparaiso University
Denison University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region list. Granville, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 685 students in .
The Men’s Basketball team at Denison brought home $264,522 in revenue in a single year. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 950.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Denison excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our overall quality list.
Read full sports report on Denison University
Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #19. Loyola Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In , this school awarded 3,286 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Speaking financially, the Men’s Basketball team at Loyola Chicago took home $4,536,549 in revenue. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 959.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. On top of its placing in this ranking, Loyola Chicago also did well on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Read full sports report on Loyola University Chicago
University of Evansville landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UE is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evansville, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 453 bachelor’s degrees in .
On the financial side of things, the Men’s Basketball team at UE made $2,941,044 in revenue. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 966.
UE also claimed a spot on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
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Bradley University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Peoria, Illinois, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1,190 bachelor’s degrees in .
On the financial side of things, the Men’s Basketball team at Bradley made $3,412,945 in revenue. The team members aren’t slouches in the classroom either, since the team academic progress rate is an excellent 995.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. On top of its placing in this ranking, Bradley also did well on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Read full sports report on Bradley University
Hanover College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Hanover is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hanover, Indiana. It awarded 300 bachelor’s degrees in .
The Men’s Basketball team at Hanover brought home $233,737 in revenue in a single year.
Full Hanover College Sports Report
Hope College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region list. Hope is a private not-for-profit institution located in Holland, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 837 bachelor’s degrees in .
Hope brought in $209,727 while tallying up $206,448 in expenses for its Men’s Basketball team. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $3,279 in profit.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Hope also is in the top 10% of our overall quality ranking.
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Saint Norbert College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region list. SNC is located in De Pere, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In , this school awarded 578 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
On the financial side of things, the Men’s Basketball team at SNC made $292,026 in revenue.
On top of its placing in this ranking, SNC also did well on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Full Saint Norbert College Sports Report
University of Chicago came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 2,425 bachelor’s degrees in .
On the financial side of things, the Men’s Basketball team at UChicago made $462,220 in revenue.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 99%. UChicago did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our overall quality list.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Tuition and Fees and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.
References
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
The academic progress rate (APR) of each team was made available by the NCAA.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
