by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. We have ranked 11 colleges for Women’s Cross Country (Division III) 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Cross Country (Division III). This public school is set in Eau Claire, WI. Team revenue averages $3,827 per participant, against $3,209 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse earned the #2 place for student athletes. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is a public school based in La Crosse, WI. The program generates about $2,946 in revenue per athlete, against $3,525 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Wisconsin Lutheran College earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Milwaukee, WI, Wisconsin Lutheran College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $4,918 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $4,832 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Concordia University-Wisconsin is one of the top schools for Women's Cross Country (Division III), at #4. Located in Mequon, WI, Concordia University-Wisconsin is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $2,333 per participant, against $2,261 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Maranatha Baptist University landed the #5 spot for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Maranatha Baptist University is a private not-for-profit school based in Watertown, WI. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,320, with expenses of about $1,226 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Whitewater, WI, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is a public institution. The program generates about $1,542 in revenue per athlete, compared with $1,318 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Ripon College placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Located in Ripon, WI, Ripon College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,196, against $3,196 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Alverno College ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Based in Milwaukee, WI, Alverno College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,623, compared with $6,595 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Wisconsin-Stout did well this year, earning the #9 position. This public school is set in Menomonie, WI. Team revenue averages $2,991 per participant, against $2,991 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country (Division III). This public school is set in Stevens Point, WI. Team revenue averages $1,546 per participant, against $1,631 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Wisconsin-Superior ranked #11 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Located in Superior, WI, University of Wisconsin-Superior is a public institution. Team revenue averages $3,436 per participant, against $3,436 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.