by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 8 programs for Women’s Softball (Division II) 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.
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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Le Moyne College earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Syracuse, NY. Le Moyne College records an NCAA APR of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 85%. About 62% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $26,506 per participant, with expenses of about $26,513 per participant. Athletic aid averages $9,944 per athlete.
Molloy University ranked #2 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Rockville Centre, NY. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $20,543, compared with $19,894 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $5,589 per athlete.
Adelphi University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). Located in Garden City, NY, Adelphi University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $19,367, with expenses of about $19,367 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,963.
St. Thomas Aquinas College ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). Based in Sparkill, NY, St. Thomas Aquinas College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $16,263 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $16,263 per participant. The school awards about $8,813 in athletic aid per athlete.
Pace University earned the #5 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in New York, NY. Team revenue averages $19,081 per participant, compared with $20,272 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,466.
D'Youville University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division II). Based in Buffalo, NY, D'Youville University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $19,604 per participant, compared with $19,602 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $8,393 per athlete.
Dominican University New York ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Orangeburg, NY. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,790, compared with $7,790 spent per athlete. The school awards about $4,678 in athletic aid per athlete.
Mercy University did well this year, earning the #8 position. Located in Dobbs Ferry, NY, Mercy University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,735, compared with $8,735 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,094.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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.