by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 22 colleges 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 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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Franklin and Marshall College earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Franklin and Marshall College is a private not-for-profit school based in Lancaster, PA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,807, compared with $3,009 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $53 per athlete.
Saint Francis University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Saint Francis University is a private not-for-profit school based in Loretto, PA. The program generates about $14,899 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $14,899 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,253.
Thomas Jefferson University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Located in Philadelphia, PA, Thomas Jefferson University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $2,789 in revenue per athlete, compared with $2,789 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $13,341 per athlete.
Saint Vincent College ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Latrobe, PA, Saint Vincent College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $2,948 in revenue per athlete, compared with $2,948 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Scranton came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. University of Scranton is a private not-for-profit school based in Scranton, PA. The program generates about $1,184 in revenue per athlete, against $1,184 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
DeSales University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Center Valley, PA, DeSales University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $3,964 in revenue per athlete, compared with $3,941 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Dickinson College landed the #7 spot this year. Dickinson College is a private not-for-profit school based in Carlisle, PA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,061, against $771 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Juniata College ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Huntingdon, PA, Juniata College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,261, compared with $3,210 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Holy Family University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Located in Philadelphia, PA, Holy Family University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $5,363 in revenue per athlete, against $5,331 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,523 per athlete.
Lebanon Valley College ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Annville, PA, Lebanon Valley College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $782 in revenue per athlete, against $755 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lancaster Bible College placed #11 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Lancaster, PA, Lancaster Bible College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $1,517 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $1,301 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Widener University placed #12 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. This private not-for-profit school is set in Chester, PA. The program generates about $2,366 in revenue per athlete, compared with $2,276 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Chatham University came in at #13 in this year's ranking. Based in Pittsburgh, PA, Chatham University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $1,287 per participant, compared with $1,287 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Carlow University ranked #14 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Carlow University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $9,050 in revenue per athlete, compared with $9,050 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $2,353 per athlete.
Immaculata University did well this year, earning the #15 position. Located in Immaculata, PA, Immaculata University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $1,406 in revenue per athlete, against $1,406 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Waynesburg University landed the #16 spot this year. Waynesburg University is a private not-for-profit school based in Waynesburg, PA. The program generates about $1,482 in revenue per athlete, against $1,482 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Neumann University ranked #17 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Aston, PA, Neumann University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $2,921 per participant, with expenses of about $2,921 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Cedar Crest College did well this year, earning the #18 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Allentown, PA. The program generates about $2,235 in revenue per athlete, against $2,235 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Delaware Valley University came in at #19 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Doylestown, PA. The program generates about $1,869 in revenue per athlete, against $1,869 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Rosemont College placed #20 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Rosemont, PA, Rosemont College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,345, with expenses of about $2,345 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Albright College ranked #21 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Albright College is a private not-for-profit school based in Reading, PA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,074, compared with $1,074 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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.