by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. This list ranks 10 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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Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Colorado School of Mines this year for Women's Softball (Division II). Colorado School of Mines is a public school based in Golden, CO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $22,358, against $22,358 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $7,984 per athlete.
Northwest Nazarene University landed the #2 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). Northwest Nazarene University is a private not-for-profit school based in Nampa, ID. The program generates about $22,784 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $22,784 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $9,381.
Colorado Christian University landed the #3 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). Based in Lakewood, CO, Colorado Christian University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $27,138 per participant, with expenses of about $27,138 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,910.
University of Colorado Colorado Springs ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). This public school is set in Colorado Springs, CO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,729, with expenses of about $13,331 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,988.
Metropolitan State University of Denver landed the #5 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). This public school is set in Denver, CO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $24,867, against $25,903 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,924.
Fort Lewis College came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Durango, CO, Fort Lewis College is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $16,024, with expenses of about $16,024 per participant. The school awards about $5,356 in athletic aid per athlete.
Colorado Mesa University placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). Located in Grand Junction, CO, Colorado Mesa University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $19,274, with expenses of about $18,981 per participant. The school awards about $4,175 in athletic aid per athlete.
Colorado State University Pueblo placed #8 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). This public school is set in Pueblo, CO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,479, against $14,479 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,320.
Montana State University Billings came in at #9 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Billings, MT. Team revenue averages $21,638 per participant, compared with $21,345 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $4,887 per athlete.
Adams State University placed #10 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). Located in Alamosa, CO, Adams State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,821, against $10,821 in expenses. The school awards about $3,419 in athletic aid per athlete.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.