by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 28 colleges for Men’s Outdoor Track and Field (Division I) 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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Learn more about these schools below:
Stanford University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Based in Stanford, CA, Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $37,873 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $37,873 per participant. The school awards about $42,012 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Maryland-College Park is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I), at #2. Based in College Park, MD, University of Maryland-College Park is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,919, compared with $49,900 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $30,606 per athlete.
University of Tulsa is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I), at #3. Based in Tulsa, OK, University of Tulsa is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,271, with expenses of about $15,271 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $34,797.
University of San Francisco is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I), at #4. Based in San Francisco, CA, University of San Francisco is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $15,345 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $15,345 per participant. Athletic aid averages $31,788 per athlete.
University of California-Irvine is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I), at #5. Based in Irvine, CA, University of California-Irvine is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,204, with expenses of about $11,204 per participant. Athletic aid averages $13,955 per athlete.
Pepperdine University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Pepperdine University is a private not-for-profit school based in Malibu, CA. The program generates about $7,311 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $7,311 per participant. The school awards about $27,861 in athletic aid per athlete.
Santa Clara University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit school based in Santa Clara, CA. Team revenue averages $2,973 per participant, with expenses of about $2,973 per participant. The school awards about $19,355 in athletic aid per athlete.
Brown University placed #8 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Brown University is a private not-for-profit school based in Providence, RI. Team revenue averages $8,262 per participant, against $8,262 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
California Baptist University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Located in Riverside, CA, California Baptist University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $28,531, compared with $28,531 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $23,790 per athlete.
University of California-Santa Barbara ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Based in Santa Barbara, CA, University of California-Santa Barbara is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,697, with expenses of about $7,697 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $11,355.
Merrimack College landed the #11 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in North Andover, MA. Team revenue averages $3,965 per participant, compared with $3,965 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $20,394 per athlete.
Gardner-Webb University did well this year, earning the #12 position. Gardner-Webb University is a private not-for-profit school based in Boiling Springs, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $16,185, with expenses of about $16,185 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $14,936.
University at Albany did well this year, earning the #13 position. Located in Albany, NY, University at Albany is a public institution. The program generates about $11,162 in revenue per athlete, compared with $11,865 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $13,856 per athlete.
University of Evansville ranked #14 on our 2026 list for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Based in Evansville, IN, University of Evansville is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $3,992 per participant, compared with $3,992 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $16,525.
Saint Francis University landed the #15 spot this year. Saint Francis University is a private not-for-profit school based in Loretto, PA. The program generates about $6,493 in revenue per athlete, compared with $6,493 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $13,253 per athlete.
Saint Mary's College of California landed the #16 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Moraga, CA. The program generates about $2,688 in revenue per athlete, against $2,688 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $18,999.
Hampton University came in at #17 in this year's ranking. Hampton University is a private not-for-profit school based in Hampton, VA. Team revenue averages $11,083 per participant, compared with $13,002 spent per athlete. The school awards about $18,394 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of South Alabama did well this year, earning the #18 position. University of South Alabama is a public school based in Mobile, AL. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,484, with expenses of about $7,484 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $15,705.
California State University-Bakersfield landed the #19 spot this year. Located in Bakersfield, CA, California State University-Bakersfield is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,352, with expenses of about $15,352 per participant. The school awards about $10,121 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Southern Mississippi did well this year, earning the #20 position. This public school is set in Hattiesburg, MS. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,756, compared with $9,756 spent per athlete. The school awards about $13,309 in athletic aid per athlete.
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University placed #21 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Located in Tallahassee, FL, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $15,168 per participant, with expenses of about $6,600 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $11,235.
Portland State University did well this year, earning the #22 position. Based in Portland, OR, Portland State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,079, against $3,079 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,026.
North Carolina Central University ranked #23 on our 2026 list for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Located in Durham, NC, North Carolina Central University is a public institution. The program generates about $7,631 in revenue per athlete, compared with $7,631 spent per athlete. The school awards about $14,804 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of New Orleans ranked #24 on our 2026 list for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Located in New Orleans, LA, University of New Orleans is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,736, compared with $11,736 spent per athlete. The school awards about $9,626 in athletic aid per athlete.
East Tennessee State University placed #25 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Located in Johnson City, TN, East Tennessee State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,104, against $3,104 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $11,444.
These schools rounded out the top of the list:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Programs are scored on 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.