by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 11 colleges for Women’s Softball (Division I) 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.
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Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Clemson University this year for Women's Softball (Division I). Clemson University is a public school based 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. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $21,730.
University of South Carolina-Columbia ranked #2 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public school based in Columbia, SC. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 72%. The program generates about $147,058 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $147,058 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $18,645.
Wofford College landed the #3 spot for Women's Softball (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Spartanburg, SC. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 987. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $48,096, with expenses of about $48,096 per participant. Athletic aid averages $26,368 per athlete.
Furman University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). Located in Greenville, SC, Furman University is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 984, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 67% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $46,435 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $46,435 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $28,699.
Coastal Carolina University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). This public school is set in Conway, SC. The team's NCAA APR score is 986, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 68% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $67,140 per participant, against $67,140 in expenses. The school awards about $19,875 in athletic aid per athlete.
College of Charleston ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division I). College of Charleston is a public school based in Charleston, SC. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 995, alongside a GSR of 95%. The federal graduation rate stands at 72%. The program generates about $39,516 in revenue per athlete, against $39,516 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $11,551.
Presbyterian College placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division I). Based in Clinton, SC, Presbyterian College is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 990, with a Graduation Success Rate of 90%. The federal graduation rate stands at 75%. Team revenue averages $38,016 per participant, compared with $38,016 spent per athlete. The school awards about $11,454 in athletic aid per athlete.
Winthrop University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Based in Rock Hill, SC, Winthrop University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 989, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 88%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $22,118, against $22,118 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $6,244 per athlete.
University of South Carolina-Upstate ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division I). This public school is set in Spartanburg, SC. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 995, and a 86% Graduation Success Rate. About 36% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $34,559 in revenue per athlete, compared with $34,559 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $9,411 per athlete.
Charleston Southern University came in at #10 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Charleston, SC. The team's NCAA APR score is 974, alongside a GSR of 95%. Its federal graduation rate is 80%. The program generates about $31,305 in revenue per athlete, compared with $31,305 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $15,092.
South Carolina State University landed the #11 spot this year. Based in Orangeburg, SC, South Carolina State University is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 981, alongside a GSR of 82%. Its federal graduation rate is 60%. The program generates about $17,893 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $17,893 per participant. The school awards about $5,529 in athletic aid per athlete.
*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
See our data sources and methodologies.