by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 11 schools 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 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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Leading the list is Gardner-Webb University, our #1 college for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Gardner-Webb University is a private not-for-profit school based in Boiling Springs, NC. The program generates about $22,249 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $22,249 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $14,936.
Barton College earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Wilson, NC, Barton College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,294, with expenses of about $6,294 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,654.
Winston-Salem State University is one of the top schools for Women's Outdoor Track and Field, at #3. Located in Winston-Salem, NC, Winston-Salem State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,259, compared with $14,259 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,441 per athlete.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is one of the top schools for Women's Outdoor Track and Field, at #4. Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is a private not-for-profit school based in Charlotte, NC. The program generates about $3,651 in revenue per athlete, compared with $1,611 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
North Carolina Central University is one of the top schools for Women's Outdoor Track and Field, at #5. North Carolina Central University is a public school based in Durham, NC. The program generates about $8,073 in revenue per athlete, against $8,073 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $14,804 per athlete.
Fayetteville State University landed the #6 spot this year. Located in Fayetteville, NC, Fayetteville State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $8,530 per participant, against $8,530 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,674 per athlete.
Belmont Abbey College ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. This private not-for-profit school is set in Belmont, NC. The program generates about $3,946 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $3,946 per participant. Athletic aid averages $2,908 per athlete.
Brevard College placed #8 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Brevard College is a private not-for-profit school based in Brevard, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,087, against $4,087 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $327 per athlete.
Methodist University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. This private not-for-profit school is set in Fayetteville, NC. Team revenue averages $3,185 per participant, compared with $3,185 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Johnson C Smith University came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Located in Charlotte, NC, Johnson C Smith University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,154, with expenses of about $6,154 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,550.
Shaw University placed #11 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Shaw University is a private not-for-profit school based in Raleigh, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,000, against $6,000 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $7,825 per athlete.
*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.