by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 5 schools for Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual scores each program on 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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Our analysis found Michigan Technological University to be the best college for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division II) in the Great Lakes Region. Based in Houghton, MI, Michigan Technological University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $7,284 per participant, against $7,216 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,159.
Cedarville University ranked #2 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Cedarville, OH. Team revenue averages $3,590 per participant, compared with $3,590 spent per athlete. The school awards about $5,791 in athletic aid per athlete.
Northern Michigan University is one of the top schools for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division II), at #3. Northern Michigan University is a public school based in Marquette, MI. Team revenue averages $8,707 per participant, against $8,865 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $9,323 per athlete.
Purdue University Northwest earned the #4 place for student athletes. Based in Hammond, IN, Purdue University Northwest is a public institution. Team revenue averages $3,650 per participant, compared with $3,650 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $3,013 per athlete.
Shawnee State University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division II). This public school is set in Portsmouth, OH. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,118, against $2,012 in expenses. The school awards about $3,174 in athletic aid 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
See our data sources and methodologies.