by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 8 programs for Men’s Outdoor Track and Field (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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:
Leading the list is Illinois Institute of Technology, our #1 college for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division III). Illinois Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit school based in Chicago, IL. The program generates about $1,442 in revenue per athlete, compared with $1,442 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
North Central College is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division III), at #2. Located in Naperville, IL, North Central College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $2,016 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $1,529 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Knox College came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division III). Based in Galesburg, IL, Knox College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,928, against $2,248 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Lake Forest College ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Lake Forest, IL. The program generates about $1,343 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $1,343 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Aurora University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Aurora, IL. Team revenue averages $2,343 per participant, with expenses of about $2,343 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Millikin University landed the #6 spot this year. Located in Decatur, IL, Millikin University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $1,544 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $1,544 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Concordia University-Chicago landed the #7 spot this year. Concordia University-Chicago is a private not-for-profit school based in River Forest, IL. The program generates about $1,984 in revenue per athlete, compared with $1,895 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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
See our data sources and methodologies.