by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 6 programs for Men’s Cross Country (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual evaluates each program using 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:
Texas A & M International University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division II). This public school is set in Laredo, TX. The program generates about $20,086 in revenue per athlete, compared with $20,086 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $8,327 per athlete.
Southern Nazarene University landed the #2 spot for Men's Cross Country (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Bethany, OK. Team revenue averages $16,079 per participant, against $15,894 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,122.
The University of Texas at Tyler is one of the top schools for Men's Cross Country (Division II), at #3. The University of Texas at Tyler is a public school based in Tyler, TX. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $12,441, with expenses of about $12,441 per participant. Athletic aid averages $6,209 per athlete.
Western New Mexico University landed the #4 spot for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Western New Mexico University is a public school based in Silver City, NM. The program generates about $6,932 in revenue per athlete, compared with $6,883 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $9,177 per athlete.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University earned the #5 place for student athletes. Located in Alva, OK, Northwestern Oklahoma State University is a public institution. The program generates about $3,137 in revenue per athlete, compared with $2,300 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,134.
New Mexico Highlands University placed #6 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division II). Based in Las Vegas, NM, New Mexico Highlands University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,383, against $14,383 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,882 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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.
