by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 18 programs for Women’s Cross Country (Division III) 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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Explore the leading programs below:
Washington and Lee University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Washington and Lee University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lexington, VA. Team revenue averages $6,275 per participant, against $6,275 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Christopher Newport University is one of the top schools for Women's Cross Country (Division III), at #2. Located in Newport News, VA, Christopher Newport University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,147, against $6,147 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Berry College came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Berry College is a private not-for-profit school based in Mount Berry, GA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,315, compared with $5,095 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Covenant College is one of the top schools for Women's Cross Country (Division III), at #4. Located in Lookout Mountain, GA, Covenant College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $5,093 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $3,665 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Hendrix College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Conway, AR. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,021, compared with $5,021 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Berea College came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Berea College is a private not-for-profit school based in Berea, KY. Team revenue averages $5,948 per participant, against $3,026 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Asbury University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Asbury University is a private not-for-profit school based in Wilmore, KY. The program generates about $4,361 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $4,361 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Transylvania University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Lexington, KY. The program generates about $2,261 in revenue per athlete, compared with $2,261 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Roanoke College came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Located in Salem, VA, Roanoke College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,080, with expenses of about $3,080 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Huntingdon College ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Based in Montgomery, AL, Huntingdon College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,640, compared with $6,913 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $1,932.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte placed #11 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Charlotte, NC. The program generates about $4,769 in revenue per athlete, against $4,769 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Mary Baldwin University did well this year, earning the #12 position. Based in Staunton, VA, Mary Baldwin University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $4,457 in revenue per athlete, against $4,457 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lyon College landed the #13 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Batesville, AR. Team revenue averages $4,094 per participant, with expenses of about $4,094 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Eastern Mennonite University did well this year, earning the #14 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Harrisonburg, VA. Team revenue averages $3,225 per participant, compared with $3,225 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Methodist University ranked #15 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Based in Fayetteville, NC, Methodist University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $6,195 per participant, compared with $6,195 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Brevard College landed the #16 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Brevard, NC. Team revenue averages $4,523 per participant, with expenses of about $4,523 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $327.
Warren Wilson College ranked #17 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Located in Swannanoa, NC, Warren Wilson College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $4,274 in revenue per athlete, against $996 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.