by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 14 colleges for Men’s Outdoor Track and Field in Plains States by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual evaluates each program using 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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Grinnell College tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field in Plains States. Grinnell College is a private not-for-profit school based in Grinnell, IA. Team revenue averages $2,067 per participant, with expenses of about $2,067 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Rockhurst University ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Outdoor Track and Field in Plains States. Based in Kansas City, MO, Rockhurst University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $3,003 in revenue per athlete, compared with $3,003 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $8,130 per athlete.
St Olaf College is one of the top schools for Men's Outdoor Track and Field in Plains States, at #3. St Olaf College is a private not-for-profit school based in Northfield, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,896, against $1,896 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Martin Luther College landed the #4 spot for Men's Outdoor Track and Field in Plains States. Martin Luther College is a private not-for-profit school based in New Ulm, MN. The program generates about $1,419 in revenue per athlete, against $1,419 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Cornell College landed the #5 spot for Men's Outdoor Track and Field in Plains States. Cornell College is a private not-for-profit school based in Mount Vernon, IA. Team revenue averages $1,336 per participant, with expenses of about $1,138 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Northwestern-St Paul came in at #6 in this year's ranking. University of Northwestern-St Paul is a private not-for-profit school based in Saint Paul, MN. Team revenue averages $1,592 per participant, against $1,592 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Loras College landed the #7 spot this year. Loras College is a private not-for-profit school based in Dubuque, IA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,504, against $1,504 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Webster University did well this year, earning the #8 position. Webster University is a private not-for-profit school based in Saint Louis, MO. Team revenue averages $1,848 per participant, compared with $2,071 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Southwest Baptist University landed the #9 spot this year. Southwest Baptist University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bolivar, MO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,122, against $4,122 in expenses. The school awards about $7,015 in athletic aid per athlete.
Bethany Lutheran College ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Men's Outdoor Track and Field in Plains States. Located in Mankato, MN, Bethany Lutheran College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $2,880 in revenue per athlete, against $2,757 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Wartburg College ranked #11 on our 2026 list for Men's Outdoor Track and Field in Plains States. This private not-for-profit school is set in Waverly, IA. The program generates about $1,036 in revenue per athlete, compared with $1,036 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Augsburg University landed the #12 spot this year. Located in Minneapolis, MN, Augsburg University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,876, with expenses of about $1,876 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Coe College landed the #13 spot this year. Located in Cedar Rapids, IA, Coe College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,849, with expenses of about $1,849 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Dubuque did well this year, earning the #14 position. Based in Dubuque, IA, University of Dubuque is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $1,523 in revenue per athlete, against $1,271 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Programs are scored on 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.