by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 7 schools for Men’s Cross Country (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual scores each program on 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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Explore the leading programs below:
Leading the list is Temple University, our #1 college for Men's Cross Country (Division I). Temple University is a public school based in Philadelphia, PA. Temple University records an NCAA APR of 992. Team revenue averages $49,158 per participant, compared with $49,158 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $28,567.
Seton Hall University ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division I). Based in South Orange, NJ, Seton Hall University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 988. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $28,142, with expenses of about $28,142 per participant. The school awards about $32,496 in athletic aid per athlete.
Loyola University Maryland came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Cross Country (Division I). Loyola University Maryland is a private not-for-profit school based in Baltimore, MD. Loyola University Maryland records an NCAA APR of 991. The program generates about $4,126 in revenue per athlete, against $4,126 in expenses. The school awards about $14,638 in athletic aid per athlete.
Niagara University earned the #4 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Niagara University, NY. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 988. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,008, with expenses of about $15,113 per participant. The school awards about $17,462 in athletic aid per athlete.
Robert Morris University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division I). Based in Moon Township, PA, Robert Morris University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 963. Team revenue averages $11,603 per participant, with expenses of about $11,603 per participant. Athletic aid averages $17,083 per athlete.
Saint Francis University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Men's Cross Country (Division I). Located in Loretto, PA, Saint Francis University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,220, compared with $2,220 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $13,253 per athlete.
University at Albany landed the #7 spot this year. Based in Albany, NY, University at Albany is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 962. Team revenue averages $1,714 per participant, with expenses of about $2,197 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,856.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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.