by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 9 colleges for Men’s Outdoor Track and Field (Division I) 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:
Stanford University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Located in Stanford, CA, Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $37,873, compared with $37,873 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $42,012.
Santa Clara University is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I), at #2. Based in Santa Clara, CA, Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,973, with expenses of about $2,973 per participant. Athletic aid averages $19,355 per athlete.
University of California-Irvine landed the #3 spot for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). This public school is set in Irvine, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,204, compared with $11,204 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,955.
University of San Francisco landed the #4 spot for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Located in San Francisco, CA, University of San Francisco is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,345, with expenses of about $15,345 per participant. Athletic aid averages $31,788 per athlete.
Pepperdine University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Malibu, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,311, compared with $7,311 spent per athlete. The school awards about $27,861 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of California-Santa Barbara landed the #6 spot this year. This public school is set in Santa Barbara, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,697, with expenses of about $7,697 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $11,355.
California Baptist University landed the #7 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Riverside, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $28,531, compared with $28,531 spent per athlete. The school awards about $23,790 in athletic aid per athlete.
Saint Mary's College of California placed #8 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Based in Moraga, CA, Saint Mary's College of California is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,688, compared with $2,688 spent per athlete. The school awards about $18,999 in athletic aid per athlete.
California State University-Bakersfield did well this year, earning the #9 position. California State University-Bakersfield is a public school based in Bakersfield, CA. The program generates about $15,352 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $15,352 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $10,121.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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
See our data sources and methodologies.