by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 5 programs for Women’s Outdoor Track and Field 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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Learn more about these schools below:
Willamette University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Located in Salem, OR, Willamette University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,264, compared with $4,264 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Portland State University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Portland, OR, Portland State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,914, compared with $5,914 spent per athlete. The school awards about $13,026 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lewis & Clark College earned the #3 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Portland, OR. The program generates about $3,293 in revenue per athlete, against $3,293 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Linfield University landed the #4 spot for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in McMinnville, OR, Linfield University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $3,932 per participant, with expenses of about $2,504 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Western Oregon University landed the #5 spot for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Located in Monmouth, OR, Western Oregon University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,423, compared with $3,423 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $2,713 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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.