by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 10 colleges for Women’s Softball (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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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Explore the leading programs below:
Shepherd University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). This public school is set in Shepherdstown, WV. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,040, with expenses of about $15,040 per participant. The school awards about $3,796 in athletic aid per athlete.
West Liberty University earned the #2 place for student athletes. This public school is set in West Liberty, WV. Team revenue averages $9,266 per participant, compared with $9,266 spent per athlete. The school awards about $4,841 in athletic aid per athlete.
Fairmont State University came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division II). Based in Fairmont, WV, Fairmont State University is a public institution. The program generates about $10,260 in revenue per athlete, against $9,845 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $4,874 per athlete.
West Virginia Wesleyan College landed the #4 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Buckhannon, WV. The program generates about $11,357 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $11,357 per participant. Athletic aid averages $3,641 per athlete.
Davis & Elkins College came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division II). Located in Elkins, WV, Davis & Elkins College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,065, compared with $9,905 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,033.
Wheeling University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Wheeling, WV, Wheeling University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $20,991 in revenue per athlete, compared with $18,848 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,271.
Bluefield State University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Bluefield State University is a public school based in Bluefield, WV. Team revenue averages $11,909 per participant, with expenses of about $11,909 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,976.
West Virginia State University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division II). Based in Institute, WV, West Virginia State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $17,773, compared with $17,773 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,933 per athlete.
Glenville State University landed the #9 spot this year. Located in Glenville, WV, Glenville State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,390, compared with $8,586 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,454.
Concord University ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division II). This public school is set in Athens, WV. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,464, compared with $8,464 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $3,226 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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.