by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 9 programs for Men’s Cross Country 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Leading the list is University of Dallas, our #1 college for Men's Cross Country. This private not-for-profit school is set in Irving, TX. The program generates about $5,707 in revenue per athlete, compared with $5,707 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Texas A & M International University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Laredo, TX, Texas A & M International University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $20,086, with expenses of about $20,086 per participant. Athletic aid averages $8,327 per athlete.
Texas Lutheran University earned the #3 place for student athletes. Texas Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit school based in Seguin, TX. Team revenue averages $6,314 per participant, compared with $5,215 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
LeTourneau University is one of the top schools for Men's Cross Country, at #4. LeTourneau University is a private not-for-profit school based in Longview, TX. The program generates about $2,968 in revenue per athlete, against $2,968 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Prairie View A & M University landed the #5 spot for Men's Cross Country. Located in Prairie View, TX, Prairie View A & M University is a public institution. Prairie View A & M University records an NCAA APR of 986. The program generates about $14,077 in revenue per athlete, against $14,077 in expenses. The school awards about $7,400 in athletic aid per athlete.
The University of Texas at Tyler came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Tyler, TX, The University of Texas at Tyler is a public institution. The program generates about $12,441 in revenue per athlete, compared with $12,441 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,209.
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor did well this year, earning the #7 position. Located in Belton, TX, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $4,475 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $4,475 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Hardin-Simmons University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Based in Abilene, TX, Hardin-Simmons University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,070, against $4,144 in expenses. 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. 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.