by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 10 schools for Women’s Softball 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Leading the list is Mississippi State University, our #1 college for Women's Softball. Mississippi State University is a public school based in Mississippi State, MS. The team's NCAA APR score is 995, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 58%. Team revenue averages $149,527 per participant, compared with $149,527 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $24,143.
University of Mississippi is one of the top schools for Women's Softball, at #2. Based in University, MS, University of Mississippi is a public institution. University of Mississippi records an NCAA APR of 994, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 50%. The program generates about $148,256 in revenue per athlete, compared with $148,256 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $22,457.
Millsaps College landed the #3 spot for Women's Softball. Located in Jackson, MS, Millsaps College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $9,001 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $9,001 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Southern Mississippi earned the #4 place for student athletes. Located in Hattiesburg, MS, University of Southern Mississippi is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 991, alongside a GSR of 88%. Its federal graduation rate is 46%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $31,923, with expenses of about $31,923 per participant. The school awards about $13,309 in athletic aid per athlete.
Belhaven University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball. This private not-for-profit school is set in Jackson, MS. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $12,870, against $12,870 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Alcorn State University placed #6 among the best colleges for Women's Softball. Based in Alcorn State, MS, Alcorn State University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 986, and a 67% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 59%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $18,049, compared with $18,049 spent per athlete. The school awards about $6,599 in athletic aid per athlete.
Jackson State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball. This public school is set in Jackson, MS. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 963, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. About 56% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $16,932 per participant, against $16,932 in expenses. The school awards about $7,647 in athletic aid per athlete.
Delta State University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball. Based in Cleveland, MS, Delta State University is a public institution. The program generates about $13,277 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $13,277 per participant. Athletic aid averages $5,421 per athlete.
Mississippi Valley State University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball. This public school is set in Itta Bena, MS. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 971, and a 91% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 55%. Team revenue averages $12,319 per participant, with expenses of about $12,319 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,569.
Mississippi University for Women placed #10 among the best colleges for Women's Softball. This public school is set in Columbus, MS. The program generates about $7,161 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $6,023 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.