by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 17 colleges for Men’s Cross Country by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual scores each program on 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:
Our analysis found Elon University to be the best college for Men's Cross Country in North Carolina. Located in Elon, NC, Elon University is a private not-for-profit institution. Elon University records an NCAA APR of 1000. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $17,004, compared with $17,004 spent per athlete. The school awards about $25,795 in athletic aid per athlete.
Gardner-Webb University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Men's Cross Country. This private not-for-profit school is set in Boiling Springs, NC. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 949. Team revenue averages $6,188 per participant, with expenses of about $6,188 per participant. The school awards about $14,936 in athletic aid per athlete.
Winston-Salem State University earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Winston-Salem, NC, Winston-Salem State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $7,256 per participant, with expenses of about $7,256 per participant. The school awards about $6,441 in athletic aid per athlete.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte landed the #4 spot for Men's Cross Country. Based in Charlotte, NC, Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $3,765 per participant, against $3,765 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Barton College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country. This private not-for-profit school is set in Wilson, NC. The program generates about $4,848 in revenue per athlete, compared with $4,848 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,654 per athlete.
Belmont Abbey College did well this year, earning the #6 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Belmont, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,591, with expenses of about $6,591 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,908.
North Carolina Central University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Men's Cross Country. Based in Durham, NC, North Carolina Central University is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 938. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,447, against $11,447 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $14,804 per athlete.
Fayetteville State University landed the #8 spot this year. This public school is set in Fayetteville, NC. Team revenue averages $17,274 per participant, compared with $17,274 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,674.
Elizabeth City State University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Elizabeth City State University is a public school based in Elizabeth City, NC. Team revenue averages $2,802 per participant, with expenses of about $2,802 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,147.
Methodist University placed #10 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country. Located in Fayetteville, NC, Methodist University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $6,195 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $6,195 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Warren Wilson College came in at #11 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Swannanoa, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,274, compared with $952 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Shaw University came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Shaw University is a private not-for-profit school based in Raleigh, NC. The program generates about $12,425 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $12,425 per participant. The school awards about $7,825 in athletic aid per athlete.
Brevard College placed #13 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country. This private not-for-profit school is set in Brevard, NC. Team revenue averages $4,138 per participant, against $4,138 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $327.
Johnson C Smith University landed the #14 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Charlotte, NC. Team revenue averages $2,414 per participant, with expenses of about $2,414 per participant. The school awards about $6,550 in athletic aid per athlete.
Chowan University landed the #15 spot this year. Chowan University is a private not-for-profit school based in Murfreesboro, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,407, against $3,407 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,571.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.