by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 5 colleges for Women’s Cross Country (Division III) 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.
Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Pick a path below.
Learn more about these schools below:
Drew University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Located in Madison, NJ, Drew University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $2,262 in revenue per athlete, compared with $2,262 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Montclair State University earned the #2 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Montclair, NJ. The program generates about $3,315 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $3,851 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Kean University came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Located in Union, NJ, Kean University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $5,801 per participant, with expenses of about $5,801 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Saint Elizabeth University earned the #4 place for student athletes. Located in Morristown, NJ, Saint Elizabeth University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $6,241 in revenue per athlete, compared with $6,241 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
New Jersey City University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Based in Jersey City, NJ, New Jersey City University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,795, with expenses of about $5,017 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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
See our data sources and methodologies.