by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 6 colleges for Men’s Cross Country 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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Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Asbury University this year for Men's Cross Country. Based in Wilmore, KY, Asbury University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $7,845 in revenue per athlete, compared with $7,845 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Transylvania University landed the #2 spot for Men's Cross Country. This private not-for-profit school is set in Lexington, KY. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,595, with expenses of about $4,595 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Murray State University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country. Murray State University is a public school based in Murray, KY. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,569, with expenses of about $9,545 per participant. The school awards about $11,774 in athletic aid per athlete.
Berea College is one of the top schools for Men's Cross Country, at #4. Located in Berea, KY, Berea College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $7,728 per participant, with expenses of about $3,591 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Thomas More University landed the #5 spot for Men's Cross Country. This private not-for-profit school is set in Crestview Hills, KY. The program generates about $4,062 in revenue per athlete, compared with $3,476 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,453.
Kentucky State University did well this year, earning the #6 position. This public school is set in Frankfort, KY. Team revenue averages $1,392 per participant, compared with $1,392 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $1,939.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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.