by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 18 schools for Men’s Cross Country in Plains States by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual evaluates each program using 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:
Our analysis found Rockhurst University to be the best college for Men's Cross Country in Plains States in the The Plains States Region. Rockhurst University is a private not-for-profit school based in Kansas City, MO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,267, compared with $5,267 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $8,130 per athlete.
Grinnell College ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country in Plains States. This private not-for-profit school is set in Grinnell, IA. The program generates about $2,272 in revenue per athlete, against $2,272 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
St Olaf College came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Cross Country in Plains States. Based in Northfield, MN, St Olaf College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,937, against $2,733 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Northwestern-St Paul landed the #4 spot for Men's Cross Country in Plains States. This private not-for-profit school is set in Saint Paul, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,344, against $5,344 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Cornell College earned the #5 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Mount Vernon, IA. The program generates about $3,028 in revenue per athlete, against $2,519 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Webster University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Saint Louis, MO. The program generates about $6,001 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $5,469 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Loras College did well this year, earning the #7 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Dubuque, IA. Team revenue averages $3,148 per participant, with expenses of about $3,148 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Newman University landed the #8 spot this year. Located in Wichita, KS, Newman University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $18,762 in revenue per athlete, against $18,762 in expenses. The school awards about $10,192 in athletic aid per athlete.
Martin Luther College ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Men's Cross Country in Plains States. Based in New Ulm, MN, Martin Luther College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $1,419 in revenue per athlete, against $1,419 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Winona State University ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Men's Cross Country in Plains States. Winona State University is a public school based in Winona, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,244, with expenses of about $3,244 per participant. Athletic aid averages $3,907 per athlete.
Wartburg College landed the #11 spot this year. Located in Waverly, IA, Wartburg College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $1,927 in revenue per athlete, against $1,927 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Southwest Baptist University placed #12 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country in Plains States. Located in Bolivar, MO, Southwest Baptist University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $8,806 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $8,806 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,015.
Bethany Lutheran College placed #13 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country in Plains States. Based in Mankato, MN, Bethany Lutheran College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,636, against $3,702 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Minnesota-Crookston placed #14 among the best colleges for Men's Cross Country in Plains States. Located in Crookston, MN, University of Minnesota-Crookston is a public institution. Team revenue averages $17,191 per participant, compared with $17,191 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $7,101 per athlete.
Augsburg University came in at #15 in this year's ranking. Augsburg University is a private not-for-profit school based in Minneapolis, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,030, against $4,030 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Coe College did well this year, earning the #16 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Cedar Rapids, IA. Team revenue averages $2,606 per participant, compared with $2,606 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Dubuque did well this year, earning the #17 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Dubuque, IA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,447, compared with $3,422 spent per athlete. 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. 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
See our data sources and methodologies.