by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. We have ranked 5 schools 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Trevecca Nazarene University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. This private not-for-profit school is set in Nashville, TN. Team revenue averages $4,954 per participant, against $4,954 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,766.
Carson-Newman University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Jefferson City, TN, Carson-Newman University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,158, with expenses of about $13,715 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $10,904.
East Tennessee State University is one of the top schools for Women's Outdoor Track and Field, at #3. This public school is set in Johnson City, TN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $2,591, compared with $2,591 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $11,444 per athlete.
Tusculum University is one of the top schools for Women's Outdoor Track and Field, at #4. Located in Greeneville, TN, Tusculum University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $5,302 per participant, against $5,416 in expenses. The school awards about $6,457 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lane College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. This private not-for-profit school is set in Jackson, TN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,759, compared with $4,759 spent per athlete. The school awards about $3,306 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.