by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 6 colleges for Men’s Cross Country by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, 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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Learn more about these schools below:
Leading the list is Colby College, our #1 college for Men's Cross Country. Located in Waterville, ME, Colby College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,052, compared with $6,052 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Maine Maritime Academy landed the #2 spot for Men's Cross Country. Located in Castine, ME, Maine Maritime Academy is a public institution. Team revenue averages $1,485 per participant, against $1,485 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of New England is one of the top schools for Men's Cross Country, at #3. Located in Biddeford, ME, University of New England is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $3,570 per participant, against $3,474 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Husson University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country. Located in Bangor, ME, Husson University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $4,565 per participant, with expenses of about $4,565 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Thomas College came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Cross Country. Based in Waterville, ME, Thomas College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $5,165 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $5,165 per participant. The school awards about $244 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Maine at Presque Isle did well this year, earning the #6 position. Based in Presque Isle, ME, University of Maine at Presque Isle is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,324, with expenses of about $3,324 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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.