by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 8 programs for Men’s Cross Country (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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:
North Greenville University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Tigerville, SC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $25,879, compared with $25,159 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $15,158 per athlete.
Converse University landed the #2 spot for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Based in Spartanburg, SC, Converse University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $12,464 per participant, against $12,040 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,241.
Erskine College earned the #3 place for student athletes. Erskine College is a private not-for-profit school based in Due West, SC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,285, compared with $14,406 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $3,924 per athlete.
University of South Carolina Aiken is one of the top schools for Men's Cross Country (Division II), at #4. This public school is set in Aiken, SC. Team revenue averages $12,345 per participant, with expenses of about $9,365 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,318.
Claflin University landed the #5 spot for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Based in Orangeburg, SC, Claflin University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $10,674 in revenue per athlete, compared with $10,674 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $4,337 per athlete.
University of South Carolina Beaufort landed the #6 spot this year. Located in Bluffton, SC, University of South Carolina Beaufort is a public institution. Team revenue averages $7,322 per participant, compared with $7,104 spent per athlete. The school awards about $5,478 in athletic aid per athlete.
Coker University placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Coker University is a private not-for-profit school based in Hartsville, SC. Team revenue averages $6,435 per participant, compared with $6,435 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,938 per athlete.
Benedict College came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Located in Columbia, SC, Benedict College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $21,097 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $1,629 per participant. Athletic aid averages $5,098 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.