While many student-athletes and their families have heard of playing college sports at the NCAA level, they’re often surprised that another regulatory body exists—the NAIA. The National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics is actually the oldest college athletics governing body in the U.S. More than 250 schools are part of the NAIA; these are comprised of mostly smaller private colleges. However, despite being lesser known than its NCAA counterpart, more than 60,000 athletes compete at NAIA schools in a number of sports, including men’s track and field.

Student-athletes who compete at an NAIA member institution are in good company: NAIA track and field programs are similar to those at the NCAA D3 level in terms of a student-athlete’s overall experience, while top NAIA track and field colleges have been compared athletically to the NCAA D2 level! Unlike their D3 counterparts, NAIA programs award both athletic and academic scholarships, making NAIA schools a cost-effective option for student-athletes who excel in their sport and in the classroom.

Just how much athletic aid do NAIA programs offer? Each year more than $500 million in athletic scholarships is awarded to student-athletes who compete at the NAIA level. There are typically 12 track and field scholarships offered per team. Like track and field scholarships offered at the NCAA level, these scholarships are not guaranteed for all four years and need to be renewed at the college coach’s discretion based on a qualified athlete’s performance and academic standing.

Student-athletes who are interested in competing at a high level shouldn’t limit their college lists to those at the NCAA level. Instead, they should also start to consider NAIA track and field colleges, too. One of the best parts of the NAIA recruiting process is that college coaches do not have to follow the NCAA rules, making themselves much more accessible to student-athletes at any stage in the recruiting process. NAIA coaches aren’t restricted in when they can and cannot communicate with potential recruits, so student-athletes can initiate contact with an NAIA coach at any time in the recruiting process. How many track and field colleges are there?

How many men’s NAIA track and field schools are there? 

There are nearly 200 NAIA track and field colleges across the U.S. Of those, 149 schools offer men’s indoor track and field programs, while 186 schools offer either an outdoor track and field program or both indoor and outdoor programs. Indoor track programs often compete in the winter season, while outdoor track and field programs are in full swing during the spring.

NAIA track and field rankings 

Several organizations offer NAIA track and field rankings throughout both indoor and outdoor seasons, including the NAIA, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, and the Track & Field Results Reporting System. Here are the top NAIA colleges for track and field according to the NCSA Power Rankings, which factor in graduate rates, average cost after aid and other important data, aside from athletic rankings, that help student-athletes make their best college decision:

1. Dordt University
2. Indiana Wesleyan University
3. University of California – Merced
4. Soka University
5. Oklahoma City University
6. University of Michigan – Dearborn
7. Marian University – Indiana
8. Madonna University
9. Southeastern University
10. Northwestern College – Iowa

Check out NCSA’s Power Rankings of top NAIA track and field colleges.

Find the complete NAIA track and field rankings here.

NAIA track and field colleges

School

City and State

Type

Conference

Division

Pippa Passes, Kentucky

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Phoenix, Arizona

Private

Central States Football League

NAIA

Little Rock, Arkansas

Private

NAIA – Associate Member

NAIA

Ave Maria, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Muskogee, Oklahoma

Private

Central States Football League

NAIA

Baldwin City, Kansas

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Bellevue, Nebraska

Private

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

Atchison, Kansas

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Lindsborg, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

North Newton, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Mishawaka, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

McKenzie, Tennessee

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Blue Mountain, Mississippi

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Bluefield, Virginia

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Owensboro, Kentucky

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Mount Vernon, Georgia

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Sioux City, Iowa

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Dayton, Tennessee

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Eugene, Oregon

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Vallejo, California

Public

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Whiting, Indiana

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Campbellsville, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Helena, Montana

Private

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Conway, Arkansas

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Fayette, Missouri

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Dubuque, Iowa

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Howell, Michigan

Private

Association of Independent Institutions

NAIA

Omaha, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Columbia, Missouri

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Columbia, South Carolina

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Columbia, South Carolina

Private

NCCAA / Appalachian Athletic Conference (NAIA)

NAIA

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Seward, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Salem, Oregon

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Paragould, Arkansas

Private

Association of Independent Institutions

NAIA

Canton, Missouri

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Lebanon, Tennessee

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Madison, South Dakota

Public

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

Mitchell, South Dakota

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Dickinson, North Dakota

Public

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

New Orleans, Louisiana

Private

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

NAIA

Crete, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Sioux Center, Iowa

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

La Grande, Oregon

Public

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Prescott, Arizona

Private

NAIA

NAIA

Springfield, Missouri

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Olympia, Washington

Public

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Nashville, Tennessee

Private

Association of Independent Institutions

NAIA

Temple Terrace, Florida

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Miami Gardens, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Henderson, Tennessee

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Wichita, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Georgetown, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Goshen, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Winona Lake, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Lamoni, Iowa

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Des Moines, Iowa

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Hannibal, Missouri

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Saint Louis, Missouri

Public

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Hastings, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Fullerton, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Huntington, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Austin, Texas

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Richmond, Indiana

Public

River States Conference

NAIA

Kokomo, Indiana

Public

River States Conference

NAIA

Gary, Indiana

Public

Association of Independent Institutions

NAIA

Marion, Indiana

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Mount Pleasant, Iowa

Private

Upper Midwest Athletic Conference

NAIA

Hawkins, Texas

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Siloam Springs, Arkansas

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Elgin, Illinois

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Salina, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

West Palm Beach, Florida

Private

Florida Sun Conference

NAIA

Grayson, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Riverside, California

Private

Other

NAIA

Langston, Oklahoma

Public

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Southfield, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Lewiston, Idaho

Public

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Marietta, Georgia

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Columbia, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Sylvania, Ohio

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

New Orleans, Louisiana

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Batesville, Arkansas

Private

Central States Football League

NAIA

Livonia, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Indianapolis, Indiana

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

McPherson, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Atherton, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Olathe, Kansas

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Fremont, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Midway, Kentucky

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Milligan University, Tennessee

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Saint Louis, Missouri

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Marshall, Missouri

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Havre, Montana

Public

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Montreat, North Carolina

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Sioux City, Iowa

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Sumter, South Carolina

Private

Other

NAIA

Yankton, South Dakota

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Mount Vernon, Ohio

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Portland, Oregon

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Espanola, New Mexico

Public

Division II Independents

NAIA

Kirkland, Washington

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Orange City, Iowa

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Oakland City, Indiana

Private

Division II Independents

NAIA

Circleville, Ohio

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Vienna, West Virginia

Private

Great Midwest Athletic Conference

NAIA

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Goodwell, Oklahoma

Public

Central States Football League

NAIA

Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Private

Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Klamath Falls, Oregon

Public

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Ottawa, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Phoenix, Arizona

Private

(NAIA) (NCWA – Wrestling)

NAIA

San Antonio, Texas

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Angwin, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Parkville, Missouri

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Dallas, Texas

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania

Public

NJCAA; NCWA Wrestling

NAIA

Peru, Nebraska

Public

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

West Point, Georgia

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Aberdeen, South Dakota

Private

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

Pasadena, California

Private

California Pacific Conference (NAIA)

NAIA

Waleska, Georgia

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Private

Independent Great Lakes Region

NAIA

Billings, Montana

Private

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Chicago, Illinois

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Chicago, Illinois

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Santee, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Savannah, Georgia

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Atlanta, Georgia

Private

Florida Sun Conference (Division III)

NAIA

Portsmouth, Ohio

Public

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Adrian, Michigan

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Incline Village, Nevada

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Redding, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Aliso Viejo, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Lakeland, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Ashland, Oregon

Public

Frontier Conference

NAIA

New Orleans, Louisiana

Public

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

NAIA

Waxahachie, Texas

Private

Central States Football League

NAIA

Bethany, Oklahoma

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Winfield, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Spring Arbor, Michigan

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Davenport, Iowa

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Laurinburg, North Carolina

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Miami, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Sterling, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Hillsboro, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Talladega, Alabama

Private

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

NAIA

Upland, Indiana

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Athens, Tennessee

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Tyler, Texas

Private

Central States Football League

NAIA

Fort Worth, Texas

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Caldwell, Idaho

Private

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Santa Clarita, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Crestview Hills, Kentucky

Private

Presidents' Athletic Conference

NAIA

Thomasville, Georgia

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Tougaloo, Mississippi

Private

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

NAIA

Palos Heights, Illinois

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Cleveland, Georgia

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Barbourville, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Lancaster, California

Public

(NAIA DII, Cal Pac)

NAIA

Merced, California

Public

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Saint Louis, Missouri

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Jamestown, North Dakota

Private

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

Dearborn, Michigan

Public

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Mobile, Alabama

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Dillon, Montana

Public

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Texas

Public

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Pikeville, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Great Falls, Montana

Private

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Rio Grande, Ohio

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Leavenworth, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Chickasha, Oklahoma

Public

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Joliet, Illinois

Private

Mid-States Football Association

NAIA

Williamsburg, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Hobbs, New Mexico

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Valley City, North Dakota

Public

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

Costa Mesa, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

La Crosse, Wisconsin

Private

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

Denmark, South Carolina

Private

Association of Independent Institutions

NAIA

Forest City, Iowa

Private

North Star Athletic Conference

NAIA

Lake Wales, Florida

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Takoma Park, Maryland

Private

Association of Independent Institutions

NAIA

Plainview, Texas

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Babson Park, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Beckley, West Virginia

Public

Independent Mid-South Region

NAIA

Irvine, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Santa Barbara, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Wilberforce, Ohio

Private

Association of Independent Institutions

NAIA

Marshall, Texas

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Rocklin, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Oskaloosa, Iowa

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Fulton, Missouri

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Walnut Ridge, Arkansas

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

New Orleans, Louisiana

Private

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

NAIA

York, Nebraska

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA