by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 6 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Pick a path below.
Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Leading the list is LeTourneau University, our #1 college 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. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
The University of Texas at Tyler earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Tyler, TX, The University of Texas at Tyler is a public institution. Team revenue averages $6,391 per participant, compared with $6,391 spent per athlete. The school awards about $6,209 in athletic aid per athlete.
Texas Lutheran University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. This private not-for-profit school is set in Seguin, TX. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,095, compared with $2,987 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Hardin-Simmons University came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Outdoor Track and Field. This private not-for-profit school is set in Abilene, TX. The program generates about $1,682 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $1,781 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Prairie View A & M University earned the #5 place for student athletes. Based in Prairie View, TX, Prairie View A & M University is a public institution. The program generates about $3,128 in revenue per athlete, against $3,128 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $7,400 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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.