by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 843 programs for Women’s Softball by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Pick a path below.
Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Duke University this year for Women's Softball. Duke University is a private not-for-profit school based in Durham, NC. Duke University records an NCAA APR of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 100%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $146,126, with expenses of about $165,190 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $34,321.
Northwestern University landed the #2 spot for Women's Softball. Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit school based in Evanston, IL. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 92%. The program generates about $70,074 in revenue per athlete, compared with $145,522 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $53,919.
Stanford University is one of the top schools for Women's Softball, at #3. This private not-for-profit school is set in Stanford, CA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 998, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 93% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $160,247, against $160,247 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $42,012.
University of Notre Dame landed the #4 spot for Women's Softball. Based in Notre Dame, IN, University of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution. University of Notre Dame records an NCAA APR of 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 100%. The program generates about $140,408 in revenue per athlete, against $140,408 in expenses. The school awards about $34,391 in athletic aid per athlete.
Emory University landed the #5 spot for Women's Softball. Located in Atlanta, GA, Emory University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $28,032, compared with $20,206 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
New York University placed #6 among the best colleges for Women's Softball. Located in New York, NY, New York University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $19,491 in revenue per athlete, against $18,937 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Washington University in St Louis landed the #7 spot this year. Located in St. Louis, MO, Washington University in St Louis is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $20,147 in revenue per athlete, compared with $17,566 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Villanova University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball. Villanova University is a private not-for-profit school based in Villanova, PA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 92%. The program generates about $87,288 in revenue per athlete, compared with $87,288 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $25,480 per athlete.
George Washington University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Located in Washington, DC, George Washington University is a private not-for-profit institution. George Washington University records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 92%. Team revenue averages $71,304 per participant, with expenses of about $71,304 per participant. Athletic aid averages $29,880 per athlete.
University of Virginia-Main Campus came in at #10 in this year's ranking. University of Virginia-Main Campus is a public school based in Charlottesville, VA. University of Virginia-Main Campus records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 79% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $100,177, against $100,177 in expenses. The school awards about $26,976 in athletic aid per athlete.
Tufts University came in at #11 in this year's ranking. Based in Medford, MA, Tufts University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $17,307, against $16,174 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Chicago placed #12 among the best colleges for Women's Softball. University of Chicago is a private not-for-profit school based in Chicago, IL. The program generates about $13,901 in revenue per athlete, compared with $13,901 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Amherst College ranked #13 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball. Located in Amherst, MA, Amherst College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $19,269 per participant, compared with $19,269 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Carnegie Mellon University ranked #14 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball. Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Carnegie Mellon University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $16,100 in revenue per athlete, compared with $16,088 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked #15 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball. This private not-for-profit school is set in Cambridge, MA. The program generates about $12,440 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $12,440 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Clemson University came in at #16 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Clemson, SC. Clemson University records an NCAA APR of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The program generates about $187,542 in revenue per athlete, compared with $187,542 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $21,730 per athlete.
Colby College landed the #17 spot this year. Based in Waterville, ME, Colby College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $17,367 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $17,367 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Middlebury College ranked #18 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball. Located in Middlebury, VT, Middlebury College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $15,986 per participant, compared with $15,986 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Bowdoin College did well this year, earning the #19 position. Based in Brunswick, ME, Bowdoin College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,804, with expenses of about $14,541 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Hamilton College came in at #20 in this year's ranking. Located in Clinton, NY, Hamilton College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $17,614 per participant, with expenses of about $17,614 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Case Western Reserve University did well this year, earning the #21 position. Based in Cleveland, OH, Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $16,622, with expenses of about $16,622 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Fordham University landed the #22 spot this year. Located in Bronx, NY, Fordham University is a private not-for-profit institution. Fordham University records an NCAA APR of 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. About 71% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $91,407 in revenue per athlete, compared with $91,407 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $32,443.
Bates College did well this year, earning the #23 position. Located in Lewiston, ME, Bates College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $16,767, with expenses of about $16,130 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Loyola University Chicago ranked #24 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball. This private not-for-profit school is set in Chicago, IL. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, and a 94% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 94%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $65,448, against $65,448 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $23,325.
Williams College landed the #25 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Williamstown, MA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,047, compared with $14,047 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
These programs also stood out among the best this year:
Explore the rest of the top 20% below:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Colorado School of Mines | Golden, CO |
| 52 | University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA |
| 53 | Swarthmore College | Swarthmore, PA |
| 54 | The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX |
| 55 | University of Missouri-Columbia | Columbia, MO |
| 56 | The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL |
| 57 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | Tempe, AZ |
| 58 | Elon University | Elon, NC |
| 59 | Samford University | Birmingham, AL |
| 60 | The College of New Jersey | Ewing, NJ |
| 61 | Macalester College | Saint Paul, MN |
| 62 | Binghamton University | Vestal, NY |
| 63 | Babson College | Wellesley, MA |
| 64 | Bentley University | Waltham, MA |
| 65 | Monmouth University | West Long Branch, NJ |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 116 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Amherst, MA |
| 117 | San Diego State University | San Diego, CA |
| 118 | Emerson College | Boston, MA |
| 119 | Ball State University | Muncie, IN |
| 120 | Marist University | Poughkeepsie, NY |
| 121 | Mississippi State University | Mississippi State, MS |
| 122 | Harding University | Searcy, AR |
| 123 | Seton Hall University | South Orange, NJ |
| 124 | Rollins College | Winter Park, FL |
| 125 | Thomas Jefferson University | Philadelphia, PA |
| 126 | Rhodes College | Memphis, TN |
| 127 | St Olaf College | Northfield, MN |
These colleges narrowly missed the top tiers:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 128 | University of Scranton | Scranton, PA |
| 129 | University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley, CA |
| 130 | Illinois Wesleyan University | Bloomington, IL |
| 131 | Quinnipiac University | Hamden, CT |
| 132 | University of Mississippi | University, MS |
| 133 | Franklin and Marshall College | Lancaster, PA |
| 134 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | Carbondale, IL |
| 135 | Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA |
| 136 | Ohio University-Main Campus | Athens, OH |
| 137 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | Atlanta, GA |
| 138 | University of Delaware | Newark, DE |
| 139 | Wofford College | Spartanburg, SC |
| 140 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Knoxville, TN |
| 141 | Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY |
| 142 | Bucknell University | Lewisburg, PA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 143 | Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, TX |
| 144 | Rowan University | Glassboro, NJ |
| 145 | Ohio Northern University | Ada, OH |
| 146 | Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| 147 | Oberlin College | Oberlin, OH |
| 148 | DePauw University | Greencastle, IN |
| 149 | University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR |
| 150 | Stonehill College | Easton, MA |
| 151 | Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA |
| 152 | Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester, NY |
| 153 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | Saint Louis, MO |
| 154 | Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles, CA |
| 155 | Dickinson College | Carlisle, PA |
| 156 | Muhlenberg College | Allentown, PA |
| 157 | Bradley University | Peoria, IL |
| 158 | Yeshiva University | New York, NY |
| 159 | Eckerd College | Saint Petersburg, FL |
| 160 | University of Maryland-College Park | College Park, MD |
| 161 | Centre College | Danville, KY |
| 162 | Robert Morris University | Moon Township, PA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 163 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo, CA |
| 164 | University of Kansas | Lawrence, KS |
| 165 | University of South Florida | Tampa, FL |
| 166 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette, LA |
| 167 | Eastern Illinois University | Charleston, IL |
| 168 | Adelphi University | Garden City, NY |
| 169 | The College of Wooster | Wooster, OH |
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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.