The 1978 NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Championships were the 40th annual cross country meet to determine the team and individual national champions of NCAA Division I men's collegiate cross country running in the United States. Held on November 20, 1978, the meet was hosted by the University of Wisconsin–Madison at the in Madison, Wisconsin. The distance for this race was 10 kilometers (6.21 miles). The team national championship was won by the UTEP Miners, their fourth title. The individual championship was won by Alberto Salazar, from Oregon, with a time of 29:29.70.