by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. We have ranked 7 schools for Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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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Learn more about these schools below:
Stanford University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Stanford, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $42,928, against $42,928 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $42,012 per athlete.
Santa Clara University is one of the top schools for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I), at #2. This private not-for-profit school is set in Santa Clara, CA. Team revenue averages $3,603 per participant, against $3,603 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $19,355 per athlete.
University of California-Irvine earned the #3 place for student athletes. Located in Irvine, CA, University of California-Irvine is a public institution. Team revenue averages $11,237 per participant, with expenses of about $11,237 per participant. Athletic aid averages $13,955 per athlete.
University of California-Santa Barbara ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Based in Santa Barbara, CA, University of California-Santa Barbara is a public institution. The program generates about $7,281 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $7,281 per participant. The school awards about $11,355 in athletic aid per athlete.
California Baptist University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Based in Riverside, CA, California Baptist University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $39,354, compared with $39,354 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $23,790.
Saint Mary's College of California came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Moraga, CA, Saint Mary's College of California is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,609, compared with $5,609 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $18,999 per athlete.
University of the Pacific landed the #7 spot this year. Located in Stockton, CA, University of the Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $4,652 per participant, with expenses of about $4,652 per participant. Athletic aid averages $21,596 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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.