by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 8 programs for Men’s Cross Country (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual weighs 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Leading the list is Barton College, our #1 college for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Based in Wilson, NC, Barton College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $4,848 in revenue per athlete, compared with $4,848 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,654 per athlete.
Winston-Salem State University ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Located in Winston-Salem, NC, Winston-Salem State University is a public institution. The program generates about $7,256 in revenue per athlete, compared with $7,256 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,441.
Fayetteville State University came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Located in Fayetteville, NC, Fayetteville State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $17,274, against $17,274 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,674.
Belmont Abbey College came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Based in Belmont, NC, Belmont Abbey College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $6,591 per participant, against $6,591 in expenses. The school awards about $2,908 in athletic aid per athlete.
Elizabeth City State University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Based in Elizabeth City, NC, Elizabeth City State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $2,802 per participant, with expenses of about $2,802 per participant. The school awards about $3,147 in athletic aid per athlete.
Shaw University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Raleigh, NC. Team revenue averages $12,425 per participant, compared with $12,425 spent per athlete. The school awards about $7,825 in athletic aid per athlete.
Johnson C Smith University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Johnson C Smith University is a private not-for-profit school based in Charlotte, NC. The program generates about $2,414 in revenue per athlete, against $2,414 in expenses. The school awards about $6,550 in athletic aid per athlete.
Chowan University did well this year, earning the #8 position. Chowan University is a private not-for-profit school based in Murfreesboro, NC. The program generates about $3,407 in revenue per athlete, compared with $3,407 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $5,571 per athlete.
*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
See our data sources and methodologies.