by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. We have ranked 12 schools for Women’s Softball (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, 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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Learn more about these schools below:
Our analysis found Austin College to be the best college for Women's Softball (Division III) in the Southwest Region. Austin College is a private not-for-profit school based in Sherman, TX. Team revenue averages $8,239 per participant, compared with $7,620 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Texas Lutheran University landed the #2 spot for Women's Softball (Division III). Texas Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit school based in Seguin, TX. Team revenue averages $18,949 per participant, compared with $14,107 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
LeTourneau University landed the #3 spot for Women's Softball (Division III). Based in Longview, TX, LeTourneau University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $11,657 per participant, compared with $11,657 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Dallas came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Irving, TX. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,564, with expenses of about $4,564 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division III). Located in Belton, TX, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $9,118 per participant, compared with $9,118 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
East Texas Baptist University ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division III). Located in Marshall, TX, East Texas Baptist University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $18,115, against $18,115 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Hardin-Simmons University placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division III). Hardin-Simmons University is a private not-for-profit school based in Abilene, TX. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,817, against $8,371 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Schreiner University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division III). Based in Kerrville, TX, Schreiner University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $3,923 per participant, compared with $3,904 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Concordia University Texas came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Concordia University Texas is a private not-for-profit school based in Austin, TX. Team revenue averages $4,439 per participant, compared with $4,439 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
McMurry University came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Based in Abilene, TX, McMurry University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $7,572 per participant, with expenses of about $7,572 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Sul Ross State University did well this year, earning the #11 position. Based in Alpine, TX, Sul Ross State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $8,480 per participant, compared with $7,701 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $891 per athlete.
Howard Payne University landed the #12 spot this year. Based in Brownwood, TX, Howard Payne University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,958, compared with $4,958 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Programs are scored on 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.