by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 9 colleges for Men’s Cross Country (Division III) 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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Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Illinois Institute of Technology this year for Men's Cross Country (Division III). Illinois Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit school based in Chicago, IL. Team revenue averages $2,179 per participant, compared with $2,179 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Knox College landed the #2 spot for Men's Cross Country (Division III). Based in Galesburg, IL, Knox College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,300, with expenses of about $6,046 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Lake Forest College ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division III). Lake Forest College is a private not-for-profit school based in Lake Forest, IL. Team revenue averages $2,482 per participant, against $2,482 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
North Central College is one of the top schools for Men's Cross Country (Division III), at #4. This private not-for-profit school is set in Naperville, IL. Team revenue averages $1,992 per participant, with expenses of about $1,281 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Concordia University-Chicago landed the #5 spot for Men's Cross Country (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in River Forest, IL. Team revenue averages $6,281 per participant, compared with $6,138 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Aurora University placed #6 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country (Division III). Aurora University is a private not-for-profit school based in Aurora, IL. The program generates about $5,666 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $5,666 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Millikin University landed the #7 spot this year. Based in Decatur, IL, Millikin University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,271, compared with $2,271 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Rockford University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Men's Cross Country (Division III). Rockford University is a private not-for-profit school based in Rockford, IL. The program generates about $6,140 in revenue per athlete, compared with $6,140 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.