by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 6 schools 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 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
No school ranked higher than Cornell College this year for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Cornell College is a private not-for-profit school based in Mount Vernon, IA. Team revenue averages $4,643 per participant, against $3,862 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Grinnell College ranked #2 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Based in Grinnell, IA, Grinnell College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $2,045 per participant, against $2,045 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Loras College is one of the top schools for Women's Cross Country (Division III), at #3. Located in Dubuque, IA, Loras College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $4,428 in revenue per athlete, against $4,428 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Wartburg College earned the #4 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Waverly, IA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,927, compared with $1,927 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Coe College came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Cross Country (Division III). Coe College is a private not-for-profit school based in Cedar Rapids, IA. Team revenue averages $3,422 per participant, with expenses of about $3,422 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Dubuque did well this year, earning the #6 position. University of Dubuque is a private not-for-profit school based in Dubuque, IA. The program generates about $3,447 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $3,422 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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
See our data sources and methodologies.