by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 6 programs for Women’s Outdoor Track and Field by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Pick a path below.
Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than St Olaf College this year for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. St Olaf College is a private not-for-profit school based in Northfield, MN. Team revenue averages $2,028 per participant, with expenses of about $1,941 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Winona State University ranked #2 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Located in Winona, MN, Winona State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,236, against $5,236 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,907.
Martin Luther College is one of the top schools for Women's Outdoor Track and Field, at #3. This private not-for-profit school is set in New Ulm, MN. Team revenue averages $1,556 per participant, with expenses of about $1,556 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Northwestern-St Paul landed the #4 spot for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Located in Saint Paul, MN, University of Northwestern-St Paul is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $1,438 in revenue per athlete, compared with $1,438 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Augsburg University landed the #5 spot for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Minneapolis, MN, Augsburg University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $3,634 per participant, against $3,634 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Bethany Lutheran College ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Outdoor Track and Field. Based in Mankato, MN, Bethany Lutheran College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $2,292 per participant, with expenses of about $2,196 per participant. The school awards about $0 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
See our data sources and methodologies.