How Many Division I Basketball Teams Are There? (2025)

By Sarah Miller · July 3, 2049

There are currently 364 NCAA Division I men's basketball teams in the United States, representing the highest level of collegiate basketball competition.

Understanding NCAA Division I Basketball

The NCAA Division I is the top competitive tier in college basketball, featuring the most elite programs, largest schools, and highest level of athletic scholarships. These teams compete in one of 32 conferences and participate annually in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, commonly known as March Madness.

What Defines a Division I Team?

Must meet minimum standards for attendance, number of sports sponsored, and athletic funding
Offers up to the maximum number of athletic scholarships allowed by the NCAA
Plays a minimum number of games against other Division I opponents
Must sponsor at least seven sports for men and seven for women (or six men's and eight women's)

Structure of Division I Basketball

Division I basketball is organized into athletic conferences that group schools geographically and competitively. Each conference operates its own regular-season schedule and postseason tournament, with automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament awarded to conference champions.

Major Conferences in Division I

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
Big Ten Conference
Big 12 Conference
Pacific-12 Conference (Pac-12)
Southeastern Conference (SEC)
Big East Conference

Current Number of Division I Teams: Detailed Breakdown

The total number of Division I basketball teams fluctuates slightly each year due to program upgrades, conference realignment, and new school additions. As of the 2024–2025 season, there are 364 active teams.

Conference	Number of Teams	Notable Schools
ACC	15	Duke, North Carolina, Clemson
Big Ten	18	Michigan State, Purdue, UCLA
Big 12	16	Kentucky, Kansas, Houston
SEC	16	Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee
Big East	11	UConn, Villanova, Marquette
American Athletic	14	Memphis, UAB, Temple
Pac-12	8	USC, Oregon, Stanford
Mountain West	12	San Diego State, Boise State
West Coast Conference	10	Gonzaga, BYU, Saint Mary's
Other Conferences (22)	194	Middle Tennessee, Vermont, Norfolk State
Total	364	NCAA Division I

Table data source:1, 2

The distribution shows that while power conferences like the Big Ten and ACC dominate media attention, the majority of Division I teams compete in smaller or mid-major conferences. Conference realignment has increased team counts in major leagues, especially with recent additions from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten and ACC.

How Teams Are Classified Within Division I

Division I teams are further categorized based on competitiveness, resources, and historical performance:

Power Five/High-Major: ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and Big East
Mid-Major: Conferences like the Mountain West, Atlantic 10, and Missouri Valley
Low-Major: Smaller conferences such as the SWAC and MEAC

This classification affects tournament selection, seeding, and national exposure.

Frequently Asked Questions About Division I Basketball Teams

How many Division I basketball teams are there in 2025?

As of the 2024–2025 season, there are 364 NCAA Division I men's basketball teams across the United States.

How many teams make the NCAA March Madness Tournament?

The NCAA Tournament includes 68 teams, with 32 earning automatic bids by winning their conference tournaments and 36 selected at-large by the NCAA Selection Committee.

Which conference has the most Division I basketball teams?

No single conference dominates in size, but the Big Ten leads with 18 teams as of 2025, following expansion with schools like USC and UCLA.

Can a school move from Division II to Division I?

Yes, schools can reclassify from Division II to Division I, but the transition takes four years during which the team is not eligible for the NCAA Tournament.

Are all Division I teams eligible for March Madness?

All Division I teams are eligible to qualify, but only 68 out of 364 teams are selected each year based on performance, rankings, and committee evaluation.