by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 22 schools for Women’s Softball (Division II) 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Leading the list is Lewis University, our #1 college for Women's Softball (Division II). Located in Romeoville, IL, Lewis University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $26,560, compared with $26,560 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $9,669.
Grand Valley State University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division II). Grand Valley State University is a public school based in Allendale, MI. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $28,382, with expenses of about $27,747 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,088.
University of Indianapolis landed the #3 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Indianapolis, IN. The program generates about $29,186 in revenue per athlete, against $29,186 in expenses. The school awards about $9,002 in athletic aid per athlete.
Cedarville University landed the #4 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Cedarville, OH. The program generates about $17,200 in revenue per athlete, against $17,200 in expenses. The school awards about $5,791 in athletic aid per athlete.
McKendree University earned the #5 place for student athletes. Located in Lebanon, IL, McKendree University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $27,286, compared with $27,286 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,695 per athlete.
University of Illinois Springfield landed the #6 spot this year. Based in Springfield, IL, University of Illinois Springfield is a public institution. The program generates about $18,952 in revenue per athlete, compared with $18,952 spent per athlete. The school awards about $4,768 in athletic aid per athlete.
Northwood University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Based in Midland, MI, Northwood University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $10,098 per participant, compared with $10,098 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $7,948 per athlete.
Saginaw Valley State University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division II). Based in University Center, MI, Saginaw Valley State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $24,211 per participant, with expenses of about $24,211 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,118.
Davenport University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Based in Grand Rapids, MI, Davenport University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $21,293 per participant, compared with $21,293 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,850.
Ashland University did well this year, earning the #10 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Ashland, OH. The program generates about $12,333 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $12,333 per participant. Athletic aid averages $5,808 per athlete.
Walsh University did well this year, earning the #11 position. Located in North Canton, OH, Walsh University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $11,284 per participant, compared with $9,757 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $5,087 per athlete.
Ferris State University landed the #12 spot this year. Ferris State University is a public school based in Big Rapids, MI. The program generates about $23,522 in revenue per athlete, against $23,522 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,572 per athlete.
Malone University did well this year, earning the #13 position. Malone University is a private not-for-profit school based in Canton, OH. Team revenue averages $15,119 per participant, with expenses of about $15,119 per participant. The school awards about $7,372 in athletic aid per athlete.
Roosevelt University did well this year, earning the #14 position. Based in Chicago, IL, Roosevelt University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $27,055, with expenses of about $27,055 per participant. Athletic aid averages $8,633 per athlete.
Ursuline College did well this year, earning the #15 position. Located in Pepper Pike, OH, Ursuline College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,496, compared with $13,496 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,040 per athlete.
Quincy University came in at #16 in this year's ranking. Based in Quincy, IL, Quincy University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $17,393 per participant, with expenses of about $16,966 per participant. The school awards about $8,507 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lake Erie College placed #17 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). Located in Painesville, OH, Lake Erie College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $15,775 in revenue per athlete, compared with $15,775 spent per athlete. The school awards about $6,781 in athletic aid per athlete.
Ohio Dominican University landed the #18 spot this year. Located in Columbus, OH, Ohio Dominican University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $12,913 in revenue per athlete, compared with $14,263 spent per athlete. The school awards about $4,323 in athletic aid per athlete.
Purdue University Northwest did well this year, earning the #19 position. Located in Hammond, IN, Purdue University Northwest is a public institution. Team revenue averages $14,956 per participant, against $14,956 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,013.
Shawnee State University placed #20 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). This public school is set in Portsmouth, OH. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,225, compared with $12,871 spent per athlete. The school awards about $3,174 in athletic aid per athlete.
Tiffin University came in at #21 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Tiffin, OH. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,945, with expenses of about $11,945 per participant. Athletic aid averages $4,785 per athlete.
University of Wisconsin-Parkside came in at #22 in this year's ranking. University of Wisconsin-Parkside is a public school based in Kenosha, WI. The program generates about $14,048 in revenue per athlete, against $14,048 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,060.
*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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.