by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 48 programs for Women’s Softball (Division I) 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.
Not quite what you need? Use the shortcuts below.
Learn more about these schools below:
Villanova University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Villanova, PA. Villanova University records an NCAA APR of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 92% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $87,288 per participant, with expenses of about $87,288 per participant. The school awards about $25,480 in athletic aid per athlete.
George Washington University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Washington, DC, George Washington University is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 92%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $71,304, compared with $71,304 spent per athlete. The school awards about $29,880 in athletic aid per athlete.
Fordham University earned the #3 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Bronx, NY. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 71%. The program generates about $91,407 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $91,407 per participant. Athletic aid averages $32,443 per athlete.
Colgate University landed the #4 spot for Women's Softball (Division I). Located in Hamilton, NY, Colgate University is a private not-for-profit institution. Colgate University records an NCAA APR of 996, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 95% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $77,925 per participant, against $77,925 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $22,658 per athlete.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick earned the #5 place for student athletes. Based in New Brunswick, NJ, Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 50%. The program generates about $128,752 in revenue per athlete, compared with $128,752 spent per athlete. The school awards about $26,379 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lehigh University landed the #6 spot this year. Lehigh University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bethlehem, PA. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, and a 94% Graduation Success Rate. About 94% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $80,732 per participant, against $80,732 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $19,391 per athlete.
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). Based in Pittsburgh, PA, University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 981, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 88%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $93,693, against $93,693 in expenses. The school awards about $30,613 in athletic aid per athlete.
St. John's University-New York did well this year, earning the #8 position. St. John's University-New York is a private not-for-profit school based in Queens, NY. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 994, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 94%. Team revenue averages $69,630 per participant, with expenses of about $69,630 per participant. The school awards about $29,040 in athletic aid per athlete.
Seton Hall University placed #9 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). Located in South Orange, NJ, Seton Hall University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 988, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 88% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $67,860 per participant, with expenses of about $67,860 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $32,496.
Syracuse University placed #10 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). Based in Syracuse, NY, Syracuse University is a private not-for-profit institution. Syracuse University records an NCAA APR of 991, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 77%. The program generates about $50,022 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $93,292 per participant. Athletic aid averages $33,068 per athlete.
Monmouth University did well this year, earning the #11 position. Based in West Long Branch, NJ, Monmouth University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 72%. Team revenue averages $57,366 per participant, against $57,366 in expenses. The school awards about $20,376 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lafayette College ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division I). Lafayette College is a private not-for-profit school based in Easton, PA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 995, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 69% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $65,195 per participant, compared with $65,195 spent per athlete. The school awards about $18,987 in athletic aid per athlete.
Georgetown University placed #13 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Washington, DC. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 997, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 100% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $43,219, with expenses of about $43,219 per participant. Athletic aid averages $14,232 per athlete.
Stony Brook University placed #14 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). Stony Brook University is a public school based in Stony Brook, NY. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 61% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $68,568, with expenses of about $68,568 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $15,341.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus placed #15 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). This public school is set in University Park, PA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 993, and a 95% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 90%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $29,418, against $108,807 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $25,170.
Binghamton University did well this year, earning the #16 position. Based in Vestal, NY, Binghamton University is a public institution. Binghamton University records an NCAA APR of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 89%. Team revenue averages $72,668 per participant, against $49,588 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $9,522.
Bucknell University ranked #17 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division I). Based in Lewisburg, PA, Bucknell University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 987, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 86% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $67,145 per participant, compared with $67,145 spent per athlete. The school awards about $19,655 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Delaware did well this year, earning the #18 position. Located in Newark, DE, University of Delaware is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 993, alongside a GSR of 94%. About 69% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $64,433, with expenses of about $64,433 per participant. Athletic aid averages $24,002 per athlete.
University of Maryland-College Park did well this year, earning the #19 position. University of Maryland-College Park is a public school based in College Park, MD. University of Maryland-College Park records an NCAA APR of 993, with a Graduation Success Rate of 95%. About 65% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $15,356 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $89,545 per participant. Athletic aid averages $30,606 per athlete.
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia ranked #20 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division I). Based in Philadelphia, PA, Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 85% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $39,588, against $39,588 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,694.
Marist University did well this year, earning the #21 position. Located in Poughkeepsie, NY, Marist University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 996, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. About 93% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $54,883, with expenses of about $54,883 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $9,661.
Drexel University landed the #22 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Philadelphia, PA. The team's NCAA APR score is 993, with a Graduation Success Rate of 88%. Its federal graduation rate is 64%. Team revenue averages $55,761 per participant, with expenses of about $55,761 per participant. The school awards about $25,843 in athletic aid per athlete.
Hofstra University came in at #23 in this year's ranking. Hofstra University is a private not-for-profit school based in Hempstead, NY. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 993, and a 90% Graduation Success Rate. About 47% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $64,777 in revenue per athlete, against $64,777 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $22,514.
Robert Morris University came in at #24 in this year's ranking. Located in Moon Township, PA, Robert Morris University is a private not-for-profit institution. Robert Morris University records an NCAA APR of 994, with a Graduation Success Rate of 95%. The federal graduation rate stands at 86%. Team revenue averages $38,438 per participant, compared with $38,438 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $17,083.
Columbia University in the City of New York did well this year, earning the #25 position. Based in New York, NY, Columbia University in the City of New York is a private not-for-profit institution. Columbia University in the City of New York records an NCAA APR of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The program generates about $31,515 in revenue per athlete, compared with $31,515 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Not far behind, these colleges also placed near the top this year:
*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.
