by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 8 programs for Men’s Outdoor Track and Field 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:
Case Western Reserve University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Cleveland, OH, Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $1,892 per participant, against $1,892 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Cedarville University landed the #2 spot for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Cedarville, OH, Cedarville University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,684, against $3,684 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,791.
Oberlin College came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. Oberlin College is a private not-for-profit school based in Oberlin, OH. Team revenue averages $1,810 per participant, against $1,540 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Kenyon College ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Gambier, OH, Kenyon College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $579, against $579 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Franciscan University of Steubenville earned the #5 place for student athletes. Franciscan University of Steubenville is a private not-for-profit school based in Steubenville, OH. The program generates about $1,418 in revenue per athlete, compared with $1,306 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Ohio Northern University did well this year, earning the #6 position. Ohio Northern University is a private not-for-profit school based in Ada, OH. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,553, with expenses of about $1,553 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Muskingum University placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in New Concord, OH, Muskingum University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $1,736 per participant, compared with $1,736 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Shawnee State University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Based in Portsmouth, OH, Shawnee State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $1,624 per participant, with expenses of about $1,608 per participant. Athletic aid averages $3,174 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.