by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. We have ranked 8 schools for Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (Division III) 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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Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Illinois Institute of Technology this year for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division III). Based in Chicago, IL, Illinois Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $1,442 per participant, with expenses of about $1,442 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
North Central College earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Naperville, IL, North Central College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $2,537 in revenue per athlete, against $1,918 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Knox College came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division III). Located in Galesburg, IL, Knox College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,245, with expenses of about $5,323 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Lake Forest College earned the #4 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Lake Forest, IL. Team revenue averages $1,527 per participant, compared with $1,527 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Aurora University landed the #5 spot for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division III). Based in Aurora, IL, Aurora University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $2,912 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $2,912 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Millikin University did well this year, earning the #6 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Decatur, IL. Team revenue averages $2,793 per participant, against $2,793 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Concordia University-Chicago placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in River Forest, IL. Team revenue averages $2,559 per participant, compared with $2,524 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.