by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. This list ranks 8 schools for Women’s Cross Country (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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:
Leading the list is Stanford University, our #1 college for Women's Cross Country (Division I). Based in Stanford, CA, Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 992. The program generates about $48,826 in revenue per athlete, compared with $48,826 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $42,012 per athlete.
Loyola Marymount University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Los Angeles, CA, Loyola Marymount University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000. Team revenue averages $40,439 per participant, against $40,439 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $40,056.
Santa Clara University is one of the top schools for Women's Cross Country (Division I), at #3. Based in Santa Clara, CA, Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 988. Team revenue averages $17,233 per participant, against $17,233 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $19,355 per athlete.
Saint Mary's College of California landed the #4 spot for Women's Cross Country (Division I). Based in Moraga, CA, Saint Mary's College of California is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 993. Team revenue averages $18,498 per participant, compared with $18,498 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $18,999 per athlete.
University of California-Irvine came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Cross Country (Division I). Located in Irvine, CA, University of California-Irvine is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 995. Team revenue averages $1,295 per participant, against $1,295 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $13,955 per athlete.
University of the Pacific placed #6 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country (Division I). Based in Stockton, CA, University of the Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 968. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $24,125, compared with $24,125 spent per athlete. The school awards about $21,596 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of California-Santa Barbara landed the #7 spot this year. This public school is set in Santa Barbara, CA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 992. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,721, with expenses of about $9,721 per participant. The school awards about $11,355 in athletic aid per athlete.
California Baptist University did well this year, earning the #8 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Riverside, CA. California Baptist University records an NCAA APR of 941. The program generates about $5,786 in revenue per athlete, compared with $4,147 spent per athlete. The school awards about $23,790 in athletic aid per athlete.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.