by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 15 programs for Women’s Cross Country 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:
North Carolina Central University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Cross Country. North Carolina Central University is a public school based in Durham, NC. The team's NCAA APR score is 975. The program generates about $10,764 in revenue per athlete, against $10,764 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $14,804 per athlete.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Charlotte, NC, Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,769, against $4,769 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Winston-Salem State University came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Cross Country. Winston-Salem State University is a public school based in Winston-Salem, NC. The program generates about $5,365 in revenue per athlete, against $5,365 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,441.
Gardner-Webb University is one of the top schools for Women's Cross Country, at #4. Based in Boiling Springs, NC, Gardner-Webb University is a private not-for-profit institution. Gardner-Webb University records an NCAA APR of 972. The program generates about $6,188 in revenue per athlete, against $6,188 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $14,936.
Elizabeth City State University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country. Based in Elizabeth City, NC, Elizabeth City State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,921, with expenses of about $3,921 per participant. Athletic aid averages $3,147 per athlete.
Fayetteville State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country. Located in Fayetteville, NC, Fayetteville State University is a public institution. The program generates about $12,956 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $12,956 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,674.
Methodist University did well this year, earning the #7 position. Methodist University is a private not-for-profit school based in Fayetteville, NC. The program generates about $6,195 in revenue per athlete, compared with $6,195 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Warren Wilson College placed #8 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country. This private not-for-profit school is set in Swannanoa, NC. The program generates about $4,274 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $996 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Belmont Abbey College placed #9 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country. Belmont Abbey College is a private not-for-profit school based in Belmont, NC. The program generates about $1,925 in revenue per athlete, against $1,925 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,908.
Brevard College ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country. This private not-for-profit school is set in Brevard, NC. The program generates about $4,523 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $4,523 per participant. Athletic aid averages $327 per athlete.
Shaw University placed #11 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country. Based in Raleigh, NC, Shaw University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $11,976 in revenue per athlete, compared with $11,976 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $7,825 per athlete.
Johnson C Smith University ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country. Based in Charlotte, NC, Johnson C Smith University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $3,120 in revenue per athlete, against $3,120 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,550.
Chowan University placed #13 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country. This private not-for-profit school is set in Murfreesboro, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,105, with expenses of about $3,105 per participant. The school awards about $5,571 in athletic aid per athlete.
*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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.