by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 8 programs for Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, 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:
Stanford University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Stanford University is a private not-for-profit school based in Stanford, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $42,928, with expenses of about $42,928 per participant. The school awards about $42,012 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of California-Irvine earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Irvine, CA, University of California-Irvine is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,237, with expenses of about $11,237 per participant. Athletic aid averages $13,955 per athlete.
Santa Clara University is one of the top schools for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I), at #3. Located in Santa Clara, CA, Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $3,603 in revenue per athlete, against $3,603 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $19,355 per athlete.
California Baptist University is one of the top schools for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I), at #4. California Baptist University is a private not-for-profit school based in Riverside, CA. Team revenue averages $39,354 per participant, against $39,354 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $23,790.
University of California-Santa Barbara came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). University of California-Santa Barbara is a public school based in Santa Barbara, CA. Team revenue averages $7,281 per participant, against $7,281 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $11,355.
Saint Mary's College of California landed the #6 spot this year. Saint Mary's College of California is a private not-for-profit school based in Moraga, CA. The program generates about $5,609 in revenue per athlete, compared with $5,609 spent per athlete. The school awards about $18,999 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of the Pacific did well this year, earning the #7 position. Based in Stockton, CA, University of the Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $4,652 per participant, against $4,652 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $21,596 per athlete.
Portland State University landed the #8 spot this year. Located in Portland, OR, Portland State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $5,914 per participant, compared with $5,914 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $13,026 per athlete.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.