by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 7 schools for Women’s Softball (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, 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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University of Minnesota-Duluth tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division II). Based in Duluth, MN, University of Minnesota-Duluth is a public institution. The program generates about $19,588 in revenue per athlete, against $19,588 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,671 per athlete.
Winona State University earned the #2 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Winona, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $19,984, against $19,984 in expenses. The school awards about $3,907 in athletic aid per athlete.
Minnesota State University Moorhead is one of the top schools for Women's Softball (Division II), at #3. This public school is set in Moorhead, MN. The program generates about $19,659 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $18,604 per participant. Athletic aid averages $3,722 per athlete.
University of Minnesota-Crookston came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division II). Located in Crookston, MN, University of Minnesota-Crookston is a public institution. Team revenue averages $19,563 per participant, against $19,563 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $7,101 per athlete.
Bemidji State University landed the #5 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). This public school is set in Bemidji, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,721, against $15,721 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,153.
Saint Cloud State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division II). This public school is set in Saint Cloud, MN. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $16,627, compared with $16,627 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $5,426 per athlete.
Southwest Minnesota State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division II). Located in Marshall, MN, Southwest Minnesota State University is a public institution. The program generates about $16,332 in revenue per athlete, compared with $16,332 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $2,980 per athlete.
*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
See our data sources and methodologies.