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2023 Top Plains States Region Men's Basketball Schools

87 Colleges
$31,795 Avg Tuition & Fees*
53% Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*

When pursuing a degree in today's world, student athletes have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its Best Colleges for Men's Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Our analysis looked at 87 schools in the Plains States Region to determine which ones were the best for Men's Basketball athletes in the Plains States Region. To come up with this ranking, we look at a number of factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include the school's overall quality as determined by our Best Colleges ranking and the athletic competitiveness of the school. Thus, in order to rank well, the school must offer a quality education in addition to having a great sports team.

Learn more about our ranking methodology.

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Top Colleges in the Plains States Region for Men's Basketball athletes in the Plains States Region

See which schools came out on top of our ranking:

1
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
#21 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$17,126,971 Team Revenue
984 Academic Progress Rate

Our analysis found University of Kansas to be the best school for Men’s Basketball athletes in the Plains States Region in this year’s ranking. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, the large public school awarded 4,493 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in . The Men’s Basketball team at KU made $17,126,971 in revenue, while incurring $15,508,894 in expenses. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $1,618,077 in profit. The great academic progress rate of 984 shows that team members perform well in the classroom, too. KU excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our overall quality list. Read More…

2
Creighton crest
Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska
#7 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$13,170,033 Team Revenue
966 Academic Progress Rate

Out of the 87 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Creighton University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1,445 bachelor’s degrees in . The Men’s Basketball team at Creighton made $13,170,033 in revenue, while incurring $10,181,483 in expenses. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $2,988,550 in profit. The academic progress rate of the team is 966. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. Creighton 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 Creighton University

3
#6 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$17,667,197 Team Revenue
977 Academic Progress Rate

A rank of #3 on our list means University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a great place for Men’s Basketball athletes in the Plains States Region working on their bachelor’s degree. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 8,508 students in . UMN Twin Cities brought in $17,667,197 while tallying up $8,113,503 in expenses for its Men’s Basketball team. That boils down to a yearly profit of $9,553,694 for the sports team. The great academic progress rate of 977 shows that team members perform well in the classroom, too. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its great ranking here, UMN Twin Cities is in the top 5% of all schools on our overall quality list. Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Sports Report

4
#17 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$15,676,249 Team Revenue
949 Academic Progress Rate

Out of the 87 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Iowa State is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In , this school awarded 6,795 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates. Iowa State brought in $15,676,249 while tallying up $7,443,040 in expenses for its Men’s Basketball team. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $8,233,209 in profit. The academic progress rate of the team is 949. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. Iowa State excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our overall quality list. Full Iowa State University Sports Report

5
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
#15 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$14,301,250 Team Revenue
960 Academic Progress Rate

Out of the 87 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #5 spot on the list. Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 5,533 bachelor’s degrees in . The Men’s Basketball team at Iowa made $14,301,250 in revenue, while incurring $9,977,054 in expenses. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $4,324,196 in profit. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 960. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. Iowa also claimed a spot on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. Read More…

6
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas
Top 15% in Quality in the Plains States Region
$10,163,782 Team Revenue
956 Academic Progress Rate

Kansas State University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. K -State is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a fairly large student population. In , this school awarded 3,938 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates. The Men’s Basketball team at K -State made $10,163,782 in revenue, while incurring $7,653,111 in expenses. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $2,510,671 in profit. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 956. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, K -State also is in the top 15% of our overall quality ranking. Full Kansas State University Sports Report

7
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri
#1 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$451,455 Team Revenue
$60,590 Avg Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #7, Washington University in St Louis did quite well on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. WUSTL is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In , this school awarded 2,428 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates. WUSTL brought in $451,455 while tallying up $420,890 in expenses for its Men’s Basketball team. That boils down to a yearly profit of $30,565 for the sports team. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. In addition to its Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, WUSTL is ranked #1 for overall quality in the Plains States Region . Read full sports report on Washington University in St Louis

8
#20 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$16,840,124 Team Revenue
964 Academic Progress Rate

With a ranking of #8, University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, the large public school handed out 4,494 bachelor’s degrees in . UNL brought in $16,840,124 while tallying up $10,502,588 in expenses for its Men’s Basketball team. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $6,337,536 in profit. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 964. On top of its placing in this ranking, UNL also did well on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis. Read More…

9
Augustana Sioux Falls crest
Augustana University
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
#19 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$1,545,047 Team Revenue
$37,342 Avg Tuition & Fees

Augustana University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. Augustana Sioux Falls is located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and, has a small student population. In , this school awarded 569 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates. The Men’s Basketball team at Augustana Sioux Falls brought home $1,545,047 in revenue in a single year. On top of its placing in this ranking, Augustana Sioux Falls also did well on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis. Full Augustana University Sports Report

10
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri
#9 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$7,623,032 Team Revenue
938 Academic Progress Rate

Saint Louis University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Louis University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 1,669 bachelor’s degrees in . The Men’s Basketball team at SLU brought home $7,623,032 in revenue in a single year. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 938. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. On top of its placing in this ranking, SLU also did well on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis. Read More…

11
Top 20% in Quality in the Plains States Region
$1,743,670 Team Revenue
985 Academic Progress Rate

North Dakota State University - Main Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,382 students in . The Men’s Basketball team at North Dakota State University brought home $1,743,670 in revenue in a single year. The team has a great academic progress rate of 985, signifying that team members care about their grades. In addition to its great ranking here, North Dakota State University is in the top 20% of all schools on our overall quality list. Read full sports report on North Dakota State University - Main Campus

12
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota
#2 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$189,146 Team Revenue
$62,634 Avg Tuition & Fees

Carleton College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. Carleton is located in Northfield, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In , this school awarded 555 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates. Carleton brought in $189,146 while tallying up $181,598 in expenses for its Men’s Basketball team. So, the team made money for the school, bringing in $7,548 in profit. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Carleton also made our overall quality list, coming in at #2. Full Carleton College Sports Report

13
UNI crest
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Top 20% in Quality in the Plains States Region
$3,495,093 Team Revenue
980 Academic Progress Rate

University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the medium-sized public school awarded 2,246 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in . Speaking financially, the Men’s Basketball team at UNI took home $3,495,093 in revenue. The team has a great academic progress rate of 980, signifying that team members care about their grades. On top of its placing in this ranking, UNI also did well on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis. Full University of Northern Iowa Sports Report

13
Grinnell crest
Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa
#5 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$130,999 Team Revenue
$61,480 Avg Tuition & Fees

Grinnell College did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #13. Grinnell College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Grinnell, Iowa that handed out 558 bachelor’s degrees in . The Men’s Basketball team at Grinnell brought home $130,999 in revenue in a single year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Grinnell not only placed well in this ranking, but it is also #5 on our overall quality list. Read More…

15
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Top 25% in Quality in the Plains States Region
$1,997,461 Team Revenue
964 Academic Progress Rate

University of North Dakota came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the fairly large public school handed out 1,904 bachelor’s degrees in . Speaking financially, the Men’s Basketball team at UND took home $1,997,461 in revenue. The academic progress rate of the team is 964. Read full sports report on University of North Dakota

16
WSU crest
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. Wichita State University is a fairly large public school located in Wichita, Kansas that handed out 2,423 bachelor’s degrees in . The team at WSU took home $5,801,589 in revenue and paid out $4,535,451 in expenses in recent times. Thus, the team actually made $1,266,138, which isn’t bad at all. The academic progress rate of the team is 965. Full Wichita State University Sports Report

17
UST MN crest
University of St Thomas Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
#14 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$1,247,242 Team Revenue
$50,366 Avg Tuition & Fees

University of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1,722 bachelor’s degrees in . The Men’s Basketball team at UST MN brought home $1,247,242 in revenue in a single year. On top of its placing in this ranking, UST MN also did well on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis. Read full sports report on University of St Thomas Minnesota

18
Bethel University Minnesota crest
Bethel University Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Top 15% in Quality in the Plains States Region
$160,658 Team Revenue
$41,270 Avg Tuition & Fees

Bethel University Minnesota landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 737 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in . The Men’s Basketball team at Bethel University Minnesota brought home $160,658 in revenue in a single year. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. On top of its placing in this ranking, Bethel University Minnesota also did well on our overall quality list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis. Read More…

19

Northwest Missouri State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #19. Maryville, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,208 students in . On the financial side of things, the Men’s Basketball team at Northwest made $1,059,129 in revenue. Read full sports report on Northwest Missouri State University

20
USD crest
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota

University of South Dakota did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #20. Vermillion, South Dakota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,293 students in . Speaking financially, the Men’s Basketball team at USD took home $1,607,660 in revenue. The academic progress rate of the team is 961. Read full sports report on University of South Dakota

21
Truman State crest
Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri
Top 20% in Quality in the Plains States Region
$566,904 Team Revenue
$17,036 Avg Tuition & Fees

Truman State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region list. Truman State University is a small public school located in Kirksville, Missouri that handed out 965 bachelor’s degrees in . On the financial side of things, the Men’s Basketball team at Truman State made $566,904 in revenue. Truman State excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our overall quality list. Full Truman State University Sports Report

22
#25 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$12,245,894 Team Revenue
958 Academic Progress Rate

University of Missouri - Columbia came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. This large public school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 5,092 bachelor’s degrees in . The Men’s Basketball team at Mizzou made $12,245,894 in revenue, while incurring $10,286,792 in expenses. Happily, this means that the team turned a profit of $1,959,102. The academic progress rate of the team is 958. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Mizzou excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our overall quality list. Read More…

23
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. South Dakota State is located in Brookings, South Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In , this school awarded 2,023 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates. The Men’s Basketball team at South Dakota State brought home $2,127,262 in revenue in a single year. The academic progress rate of the team is 975. Read More…

24

University of Missouri - Kansas City came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region ranking. UMKC is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In , this school awarded 1,658 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates. On the financial side of things, the Men’s Basketball team at UMKC made $2,355,578 in revenue. The team has a respectable academic progress rate of 957. Full University of Missouri - Kansas City Sports Report

25
Central crest
Central College
Pella, Iowa
#24 in Quality in the Plains States Region
$196,724 Team Revenue
$19,800 Avg Tuition & Fees

Central College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Colleges for Men’s Basketball in the Plains States Region list. Central is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pella, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 259 bachelor’s degrees in . Speaking financially, the Men’s Basketball team at Central took home $196,724 in revenue. Central excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our overall quality list. Full Central College Sports Report

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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

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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