by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 9 programs 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.
Not quite what you need? Pick a path below.
Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Grinnell College this year for Women's Softball (Division III). Located in Grinnell, IA, Grinnell College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $9,047 per participant, against $9,047 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Luther College ranked #2 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division III). Luther College is a private not-for-profit school based in Decorah, IA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,213, against $8,905 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Cornell College earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Mount Vernon, IA, Cornell College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $7,505 in revenue per athlete, compared with $6,017 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Wartburg College landed the #4 spot for Women's Softball (Division III). Wartburg College is a private not-for-profit school based in Waverly, IA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,886, compared with $8,886 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Buena Vista University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division III). Located in Storm Lake, IA, Buena Vista University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,390, with expenses of about $9,706 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Loras College placed #6 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division III). Based in Dubuque, IA, Loras College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $5,621 per participant, against $5,621 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Simpson College placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Indianola, IA. Team revenue averages $6,978 per participant, compared with $7,089 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Dubuque landed the #8 spot this year. Based in Dubuque, IA, University of Dubuque is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,351, compared with $9,854 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Coe College landed the #9 spot this year. Coe College is a private not-for-profit school based in Cedar Rapids, IA. Team revenue averages $6,524 per participant, compared with $6,524 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*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
See our data sources and methodologies.