by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 14 colleges for Women’s Softball (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual evaluates each program using 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:
Thomas Jefferson University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Philadelphia, PA. The program generates about $19,190 in revenue per athlete, compared with $19,190 spent per athlete. The school awards about $13,341 in athletic aid per athlete.
Seton Hill University earned the #2 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Greensburg, PA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $16,554, with expenses of about $16,554 per participant. The school awards about $5,657 in athletic aid per athlete.
Gannon University landed the #3 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). Based in Erie, PA, Gannon University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,320, with expenses of about $14,320 per participant. The school awards about $9,313 in athletic aid per athlete.
Mercyhurst University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). Based in Erie, PA, Mercyhurst University is a private not-for-profit institution. Mercyhurst University records an NCAA APR of 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. About 60% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $25,651 per participant, with expenses of about $25,651 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $14,194.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania landed the #5 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). Based in West Chester, PA, West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a public institution. The program generates about $11,121 in revenue per athlete, compared with $12,442 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $2,168 per athlete.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania did well this year, earning the #6 position. This public school is set in Slippery Rock, PA. The program generates about $17,291 in revenue per athlete, compared with $17,442 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,028.
Holy Family University landed the #7 spot this year. Holy Family University is a private not-for-profit school based in Philadelphia, PA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,122, with expenses of about $11,732 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,523.
Point Park University landed the #8 spot this year. Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Point Park University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $12,182, compared with $12,182 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,401.
Millersville University of Pennsylvania ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division II). Millersville University of Pennsylvania is a public school based in Millersville, PA. The program generates about $14,353 in revenue per athlete, compared with $14,353 spent per athlete. The school awards about $2,830 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown did well this year, earning the #10 position. Located in Johnstown, PA, University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $16,511, compared with $16,511 spent per athlete. The school awards about $5,196 in athletic aid per athlete.
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania placed #11 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a public school based in Kutztown, PA. Team revenue averages $17,496 per participant, with expenses of about $15,820 per participant. The school awards about $1,904 in athletic aid per athlete.
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania placed #12 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). Located in Shippensburg, PA, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is a public institution. Team revenue averages $17,276 per participant, compared with $17,147 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $2,132 per athlete.
Chestnut Hill College landed the #13 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Philadelphia, PA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,931, with expenses of about $8,714 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,192.
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania landed the #14 spot this year. This public school is set in East Stroudsburg, PA. Team revenue averages $13,764 per participant, compared with $13,195 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,313.
*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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.