Stats

Some Expanded Stats on Softball Scholarships

(from Scholarshipstats.com)

•    Only 7.8% (29,670) of high school softball players (381,116) went on in 2012 to play college ball.
•    The maximum number of scholarships available was 14,410, but nearly half (7,008) of those were for community college players.
•    Only a maximum of 3,456 scholarships were available in the Division I schools. “Maximum” means the coaches and schools did not have to give out that many.
•    Thus, the maximum percentage of Division I scholarships available to those 381,116 high school players was less than one.
•    On a brighter note, 29,670 women played college softball, so if 14,410 scholarships were available, nearly one out of two college players received some financial aid from softball. 

Comparison to Football

•    Only 7.8% (87,256) of men’s high school football players (1,121,744) went on in 2012 to play college ball.
•    The maximum number of scholarships available was 30,423 with less than 15% (4,505) available for community college players.
•    A maximum of 18,226 scholarships was available in the Division I schools. “Maximum” means the coaches and schools did not have to give out that many.
•    Thus, the maximum percentage of Division I scholarships available to those 1,121,744 high school players was less than two (1.62%).
•    Of the 87,256 men who played college football in 2012, 30,423 (35%) may have received some financial aid from the sport.
 


Division IA (FBS) football schools are "head count" programs and are allowed to give 85 scholarships a year. These are the full-ride scholarships that cover nearly everything in one's college career.

Division IAA, Division II, and softball, plus many other sports, are "equivalency" programs. Their scholarships can be and often are split into partials.

Softball teams in Division I, for example, are allowed 12 full scholarships a year, but 18 girls may receive half scholarships so that three elite players get the full ride. Some schools may only offer enough money to cover the cost of books! (More on head count and equivalency.)