by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 5 programs for Men’s Outdoor Track and Field by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual scores each program on 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:
Willamette University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. This private not-for-profit school is set in Salem, OR. The program generates about $4,264 in revenue per athlete, against $4,264 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lewis & Clark College earned the #2 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Portland, OR. Team revenue averages $3,245 per participant, with expenses of about $3,245 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Linfield University is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field, at #3. Based in McMinnville, OR, Linfield University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $4,470 per participant, compared with $3,042 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Portland State University came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. This public school is set in Portland, OR. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,079, compared with $3,079 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,026.
Western Oregon University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Monmouth, OR, Western Oregon University is a public institution. The program generates about $3,976 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $3,976 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,713.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.