by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 15 programs for Women’s Outdoor Track and Field by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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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Explore the leading programs below:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Cambridge, MA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $2,386 in revenue per athlete, against $2,386 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Wellesley College ranked #2 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Wellesley, MA, Wellesley College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $3,961, compared with $3,961 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Williams College earned the #3 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Williamstown, MA. The program generates about $1,843 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $1,843 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Amherst College came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. This private not-for-profit school is set in Amherst, MA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,360, against $2,360 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Merrimack College landed the #5 spot for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Merrimack College is a private not-for-profit school based in North Andover, MA. The program generates about $4,133 in revenue per athlete, against $4,133 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $20,394.
Endicott College came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Based in Beverly, MA, Endicott College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,803, compared with $2,803 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a public school based in Buzzards Bay, MA. The program generates about $2,170 in revenue per athlete, compared with $2,507 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Gordon College ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Located in Wenham, MA, Gordon College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $2,468 in revenue per athlete, against $2,200 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Nichols College landed the #9 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Dudley, MA. The program generates about $2,909 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $2,978 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Wentworth Institute of Technology landed the #10 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Boston, MA. Team revenue averages $875 per participant, against $928 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Western New England University came in at #11 in this year's ranking. Located in Springfield, MA, Western New England University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $1,653 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $1,653 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Fitchburg State University ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Fitchburg State University is a public school based in Fitchburg, MA. The program generates about $1,745 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $1,745 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Worcester State University ranked #13 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Worcester State University is a public school based in Worcester, MA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,621, with expenses of about $1,548 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth did well this year, earning the #14 position. This public school is set in North Dartmouth, MA. The program generates about $2,053 in revenue per athlete, compared with $1,961 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Framingham State University placed #15 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Located in Framingham, MA, Framingham State University is a public institution. The program generates about $1,457 in revenue per athlete, against $1,380 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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.