by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 10 schools for Women’s Softball (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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.
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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
No school ranked higher than Samford University this year for Women's Softball (Division I). Located in Birmingham, AL, Samford University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 74% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $47,377, against $44,996 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $20,864.
The University of Alabama came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division I). This public school is set in Tuscaloosa, AL. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 997, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 74% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $185,133 per participant, against $185,133 in expenses. The school awards about $20,760 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of South Alabama is one of the top schools for Women's Softball (Division I), at #3. Located in Mobile, AL, University of South Alabama is a public institution. University of South Alabama records an NCAA APR of 997, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 55%. The program generates about $59,653 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $57,926 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $15,705.
Jacksonville State University came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division I). Located in Jacksonville, AL, Jacksonville State University is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, and a 93% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 80%. Team revenue averages $55,269 per participant, compared with $55,269 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $14,761 per athlete.
Auburn University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division I). This public school is set in Auburn, AL. The team's NCAA APR score is 992, alongside a GSR of 94%. About 50% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $35,416 per participant, with expenses of about $146,243 per participant. The school awards about $28,233 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Alabama at Birmingham landed the #6 spot this year. This public school is set in Birmingham, AL. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 989, alongside a GSR of 96%. The federal graduation rate stands at 59%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $44,724, compared with $42,418 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $17,655 per athlete.
Troy University landed the #7 spot this year. Located in Troy, AL, Troy University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 997, alongside a GSR of 95%. Its federal graduation rate is 70%. The program generates about $39,680 in revenue per athlete, compared with $37,923 spent per athlete. The school awards about $13,487 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of North Alabama ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division I). Located in Florence, AL, University of North Alabama is a public institution. University of North Alabama records an NCAA APR of 995, with a Graduation Success Rate of 82%. Its federal graduation rate is 49%. The program generates about $25,730 in revenue per athlete, compared with $25,730 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,402.
Alabama State University placed #9 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). Based in Montgomery, AL, Alabama State University is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 970, and a 86% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 53%. Team revenue averages $19,880 per participant, compared with $19,880 spent per athlete. The school awards about $8,418 in athletic aid per athlete.
Alabama A & M University landed the #10 spot this year. Based in Normal, AL, Alabama A & M University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 939, alongside a GSR of 83%. About 52% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,006, with expenses of about $15,725 per participant. The school awards about $8,274 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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
See our data sources and methodologies.