by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. We have ranked 10 programs for Men’s Outdoor Track and Field 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
University of Tulsa earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. University of Tulsa is a private not-for-profit school based in Tulsa, OK. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,271, compared with $15,271 spent per athlete. The school awards about $34,797 in athletic aid per athlete.
LeTourneau University landed the #2 spot for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. This private not-for-profit school is set in Longview, TX. The program generates about $3,349 in revenue per athlete, against $3,349 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
The University of Texas at Tyler earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Tyler, TX, The University of Texas at Tyler is a public institution. The program generates about $6,391 in revenue per athlete, against $6,391 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $6,209 per athlete.
Texas Lutheran University is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field, at #4. Located in Seguin, TX, Texas Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $2,095 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $2,987 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Southern Nazarene University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Bethany, OK, Southern Nazarene University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $4,409 per participant, compared with $1,596 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,122.
Hardin-Simmons University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Abilene, TX, Hardin-Simmons University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $1,682 per participant, with expenses of about $1,781 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Western New Mexico University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. Western New Mexico University is a public school based in Silver City, NM. The program generates about $5,480 in revenue per athlete, compared with $5,459 spent per athlete. The school awards about $9,177 in athletic aid per athlete.
Prairie View A & M University placed #8 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. This public school is set in Prairie View, TX. The program generates about $3,128 in revenue per athlete, compared with $3,128 spent per athlete. The school awards about $7,400 in athletic aid per athlete.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University landed the #9 spot this year. Northwestern Oklahoma State University is a public school based in Alva, OK. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,667, compared with $2,749 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,134.
*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.
