The NAIA, or National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, sets the athletic rules for its 300+ member colleges. And get this: There are 195 NAIA softball colleges. That’s 195 rosters that need talented softball players. The NAIA is characterized by its smaller, close-knit campuses, competitive teams, and well-rounded college experience for athletes. If you want to study abroad, participate in other extracurricular activities and generally get a more traditional college experience, the NAIA might be right for you.
There are NAIA softball scholarships available for athletes. The amount of money you are eligible to receive as part of your NAIA softball scholarship will depend on the school, the coach, your talent level and your position. A fully funded NAIA softball program can give out 10 scholarships, compared to the 7.2 scholarships that can be offered by a full funded DII program. NAIA schools also have other financial aid opportunities outside of athletic scholarships. As your family creates your financial aid package, look into academic, merit and need-based scholarships to bring down the overall cost of tuition.
Each year, the top NAIA softball schools participate in the NAIA Softball Championship, the annual tournament to determine the national champions of NAIA collegiate softball in the United States and Canada. The reigning champions are Oklahoma City—and they are the winningest program, with nine NAIA Championship titles to date.
A variety of factors are considered during the college selection process. Student-athletes and their families want to find a school that meets their academic, athletic, social and financial needs. To help in this decision-making process, view NCSA’s Power Rankings for the top NAIA institutions that offer women’s softball, based on tuition cost, location, size and academics or the complete list of NAIA schools that offer softball below.
