by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 7 colleges for Men’s Outdoor Track and Field (Division II) 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.
Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Pick a path below.
Explore the leading programs below:
Our analysis found California State University-Chico to be the best college for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division II) in the Far Western Region. This public school is set in Chico, CA. The program generates about $6,884 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $7,109 per participant. The school awards about $2,367 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of California-Merced landed the #2 spot for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division II). Based in Merced, CA, University of California-Merced is a public institution. Team revenue averages $3,857 per participant, compared with $3,784 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $1,179.
California State University-Los Angeles landed the #3 spot for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division II). Located in Los Angeles, CA, California State University-Los Angeles is a public institution. Team revenue averages $3,684 per participant, against $3,684 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,687.
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division II), at #4. This public school is set in Arcata, CA. Team revenue averages $5,798 per participant, with expenses of about $9,064 per participant. The school awards about $4,418 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Alaska Anchorage is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division II), at #5. Located in Anchorage, AK, University of Alaska Anchorage is a public institution. Team revenue averages $10,088 per participant, with expenses of about $10,088 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,371.
San Francisco State University landed the #6 spot this year. This public school is set in San Francisco, CA. The program generates about $1,310 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $1,310 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,480.
Western Oregon University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Monmouth, OR. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,976, against $3,976 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $2,713 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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.
