Wrestling Scholarships for College

Here’s the unfiltered truth about full-ride wrestling scholarships: they’re rare. NCAA Division 1 and 2 coaches are given a pool of scholarship money and can divide it up among recruits and current wrestlers however they like. So instead of offering full rides to a few wrestlers, it’s more common for them to divide their funds into partial scholarships across multiple athletes. In this section, we uncover all the facts when it comes to scholarships for wrestling.   

NCAA wrestling scholarship limits

Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the NCAA eliminated most D1 scholarship limits, enabling all sports to distribute scholarships more flexibly among athletes. This change is expected to have a significant impact on college wrestling recruiting. More details and the latest updates here.

These changes impact men’s wrestling recruits in the following ways:

• D1 wrestling programs will be allowed to offer 30 scholarships, up from the current limit of 9.9.
• D1 wrestling will have a maximum roster limit of 30.
• D1 wrestling is already an equivalency sport and will continue to offer both partial and full scholarships to recruits. 

Note: These are the maximum scholarship and roster limits set by the NCAA, but schools aren’t required to meet these maximums.

How many wrestling scholarships are offered at each division?

Wrestling is an equivalency sport, which means there isn’t a strict number of athletes who need to be on scholarship. Instead, each division is given an allocated number of scholarships and the coach decides how to divide the money up. For this reason, most men’s wrestlers are on partial athletic scholarships. Keep in mind, though, that these scholarship limits are the maximum amount coaches can offer. Some programs aren’t fully funded and may have fewer wrestling scholarships than listed above. 

How hard is it to get a wrestling scholarship?

It isn’t easy to get a wrestling scholarship, but it isn’t impossible either. Recruits looking to secure a wrestling scholarship need to do their research, stand out academically, stay proactive in their recruiting and extend their search. For example, student-athletes may find that a D3 financial package made up of other forms of aid, such as academic scholarships and grants, cuts college costs the most.

How to get a wrestling scholarship

Student-athletes can improve their chances of being awarded an athletic scholarship by targeting schools that are a good fit for them, keeping their grades up and anticipating which weight classes coaches will recruit. Keep these tips in mind:  

1. Research first. Know the key differences in the division levels. NCAA Division 1, Division 2, NAIA and NJCAA programs offer athletic scholarships, while NCAA Division 3 programs provide scholarship packages made up of academic scholarships, need-based aid and merit-based scholarships. Division 3 and NAIA programs are typically smaller, private schools.
2. Know the athletic requirements. College coaches prioritize wrestling scholarships to recruits who have the ability to score points both at the state and national level. For example, a recruit who can continuously score points against elite competition would be ranked higher than a wrestler who has won more total matches but has scored fewer overall points. Maximizing your point potential in high school, in addition to being nationally ranked, will improve your chances of securing a roster spot.
3. Excel academically. College coaches are looking for student-athletes. They consider a recruit’s academic standing just as seriously as their athletic ability. Plus, high test scores and a solid GPA can land you additional academic aid. If you’re interested in D1 or D2, remember to sign up for the NCAA Eligibility Center.
4. Keep your options open. Don’t overlook a division just because it isn’t Division 1. There are several competitive programs—from Division 2 to NJCAA—that could offer a better financial package than Division 1. For example, you might find that a Division 3 package, made up of grants and academic aid, brings college costs down significantly. Not to mention there’s more wrestling scholarships available per team at junior colleges. 

Are there full ride wrestling scholarships?

While full-ride wrestling scholarships are possible, they aren’t the norm. Wrestling is an equivalency sport, so instead of having a specific number of athletes on scholarship, coaches are given a pool of money and they’re allowed to divvy it up among as many recruits and current roster athletes as they want. Therefore, they typically award partial scholarships, which means athletes still need to pay for part of their education.

How many scholarships for D1 wrestling? 

• D1 wrestling scholarships per team: 30
• Total number of D1 wrestling teams: 78
• Average team size: 34.8

Athletic scholarships from NCAA Division 1 wrestling programs are difficult to come by. Only one percent of high school athletes go on to compete at this level. Coaches can give out a maximum of 30 scholarships per year, and they usually divide this up into partial scholarships. Keep in mind that some wrestling programs aren’t fully funded, so coaches may have fewer than the maximum allowed.

NCAA Division 2 men’s wrestling scholarships

• D2 wrestling scholarships per team: 9
• Total number of D2 wrestling teams: 73
• Average team size: 33.3

NCAA D2 coaches also follow the equivalency method. They can award a maximum of 9 scholarships per team. While partial scholarships can cover tuition, they typically aren’t enough to pay for all college costs. That’s why student-athletes should also apply for FAFSA and seek out academic scholarships, grants and merit-based scholarships at the schools they’re interested in.

NCAA Division 3 men’s wrestling scholarships

• D3 wrestling scholarships per team: 0
• Total number of D3 wrestling teams: 124
• Average team size: 29.5

Even though NCAA D3 schools can’t offer athletic scholarships, they leverage other types of aid the recruit might qualify for, such as academic scholarships, merit-based aid and grants, to create a competitive scholarship package. With D3 being mostly made up of small private schools, they tend to have these kinds of funds readily available. In fact, 82 percent of all D3 athletes receive some form of aid.

NAIA men’s wrestling scholarships 

• NAIA wrestling scholarships per team: 8
• Total number of NAIA wrestling teams: 61
• Average team size: 31

NAIA follows the same equivalency guidelines as the NCAA when offering athletic scholarships. Coaches at this level have 8 scholarships per team and mostly offer partial scholarships to their athletes. However, top performers could receive a wrestling scholarship that covers 75 percent of their tuition or more.  

Wrestling scholarship requirements

Every potential NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 college-athlete is required to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and submit their transcripts and answer questions pertaining to their amateur status. To secure a roster spot and athletic scholarship, student-athletes must meet the academic requirements and be cleared by the Eligibility Center. 

While the requirements differ slightly between Division 1 and Division 2, the overall method for determining eligibility is the same: student-athletes must take 16 core courses throughout high school and maintain a minimum GPA in these core courses.. Learn more about the specific Eligibility Center requirements to get a sense of what GPA you need. 

Best colleges for wrestling scholarships

We’ve compiled a list of the best colleges for wrestling scholarships across all three NCAA division levels. Recruits interested in these programs should visit the team’s roster to determine if they’re an athletic fit and learn more about the coach’s recruiting method, such as which areas they recruit in. 

• NCAA Division 1: North Carolina, Stanford, University of Michigan, Duke, Princeton, University of Virginia, University of Wisconsin, Ohio State and Harvard
• NCAA Division 2: Colorado School of Mines, Augustana University—South Dakota, Gannon University, University of Nebraska at Kearney, University of Indianapolis and Coker College
• NCAA Division 3: John Hopkins University, Washington & Lee University, New York University, University of Chicago, Case Western Reserve University and the College of New Jersey

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