by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 14 schools 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:
No school ranked higher than University of Tulsa this year for Women's Cross Country. Located in Tulsa, OK, University of Tulsa is a private not-for-profit institution. University of Tulsa records an NCAA APR of 993. The program generates about $19,358 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $19,358 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $34,797.
Texas A & M International University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Texas A & M International University is a public school based in Laredo, TX. The program generates about $20,131 in revenue per athlete, compared with $20,131 spent per athlete. The school awards about $8,327 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Dallas landed the #3 spot for Women's Cross Country. Located in Irving, TX, University of Dallas is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $3,224 per participant, with expenses of about $3,224 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Texas Lutheran University earned the #4 place for student athletes. Located in Seguin, TX, Texas Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,725, against $5,989 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
LeTourneau University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country. LeTourneau University is a private not-for-profit school based in Longview, TX. Team revenue averages $4,394 per participant, against $4,394 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Hardin-Simmons University placed #6 among the best colleges for Women's Cross Country. This private not-for-profit school is set in Abilene, TX. Team revenue averages $6,860 per participant, with expenses of about $6,684 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
The University of Texas at Tyler did well this year, earning the #7 position. Based in Tyler, TX, The University of Texas at Tyler is a public institution. Team revenue averages $9,786 per participant, with expenses of about $9,786 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,209.
The University of Texas Permian Basin came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Based in Odessa, TX, The University of Texas Permian Basin is a public institution. The program generates about $38,783 in revenue per athlete, compared with $10,109 spent per athlete. The school awards about $6,982 in athletic aid per athlete.
Southern Nazarene University landed the #9 spot this year. Southern Nazarene University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bethany, OK. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,455, against $6,246 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $7,122 per athlete.
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor did well this year, earning the #10 position. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is a private not-for-profit school based in Belton, TX. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,557, against $2,557 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Western New Mexico University came in at #11 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Silver City, NM. Team revenue averages $10,953 per participant, against $10,507 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $9,177 per athlete.
Prairie View A & M University ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Women's Cross Country. Based in Prairie View, TX, Prairie View A & M University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 983. The program generates about $19,219 in revenue per athlete, compared with $19,219 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,400.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University did well this year, earning the #13 position. Located in Alva, OK, Northwestern Oklahoma State University is a public institution. The program generates about $4,660 in revenue per athlete, against $4,658 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,134.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.
