by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 11 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:
Bentley University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). Located in Waltham, MA, Bentley University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $20,648 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $20,559 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,029.
Saint Anselm College landed the #2 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Manchester, NH. The program generates about $18,146 in revenue per athlete, against $18,681 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,219.
University of Bridgeport came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division II). University of Bridgeport is a private not-for-profit school based in Bridgeport, CT. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $22,056, against $19,277 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $9,070 per athlete.
University of New Haven landed the #4 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). University of New Haven is a private not-for-profit school based in West Haven, CT. Team revenue averages $17,283 per participant, against $17,283 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $7,566 per athlete.
Saint Michael's College came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division II). Saint Michael's College is a private not-for-profit school based in Colchester, VT. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,387, with expenses of about $14,387 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,634.
Assumption University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Based in Worcester, MA, Assumption University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $14,011 in revenue per athlete, compared with $15,053 spent per athlete. The school awards about $4,778 in athletic aid per athlete.
Southern New Hampshire University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Manchester, NH. Team revenue averages $17,512 per participant, with expenses of about $17,512 per participant. Athletic aid averages $4,849 per athlete.
Post University did well this year, earning the #8 position. This private for-profit school is set in Waterbury, CT. Team revenue averages $18,490 per participant, compared with $18,490 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,848.
American International College ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division II). American International College is a private not-for-profit school based in Springfield, MA. Team revenue averages $16,270 per participant, compared with $16,270 spent per athlete. The school awards about $11,241 in athletic aid per athlete.
Franklin Pierce University placed #10 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Rindge, NH. Team revenue averages $17,585 per participant, against $17,585 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $292 per athlete.
Southern Connecticut State University did well this year, earning the #11 position. Based in New Haven, CT, Southern Connecticut State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,544, with expenses of about $14,544 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,062.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.