Adelphi vs Franklin Pierce: Softball Program Comparison

Two D2 programs in the NE10. Franklin Pierce runs $6,443 less per year; Adelphi graduates 23 points more of its students.

Which one is right for you?

Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.

Lean Adelphi if…

  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Adelphi graduates 23 percentage points more of its students than Franklin Pierce.
  • You are weighing the degree as an investment: Adelphi graduates earn about $22,129 more per year a decade after enrolling.
  • You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Adelphi is $2,000 lower than at Franklin Pierce.
  • Your transcript is a strength: Adelphi admits 66% of applicants, so strong grades count for more here.

Lean Franklin Pierce if…

  • The number on the bill matters: Franklin Pierce lists $6,443 less per year in tuition and housing than Adelphi, and neither charges by residency.
  • Admissions is the part you are least sure about: Franklin Pierce admits 93% of applicants.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.

What it costs to go there: Adelphi compared with Franklin Pierce
MeasureAdelphiFranklin Pierce
Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency.$47,290$44,963 Franklin Pierce leads on this measure: lower published tuition
Room & board$20,028$15,912 Franklin Pierce leads on this measure: lower room & board
Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$67,318$60,875 Franklin Pierce leads on this measure: lower total cost per year

What you leave with

Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.

What you leave with: Adelphi compared with Franklin Pierce
MeasureAdelphiFranklin Pierce
Graduation rate69% Adelphi leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree46%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$75,482/yr Adelphi leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out$53,353/yr
Median debt at graduation$25,000 Adelphi leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door$27,000
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.33% Adelphi leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn51%

Getting in, and what you'd walk into

Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: Adelphi compared with Franklin Pierce
MeasureAdelphiFranklin Pierce
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.66%93%
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.7,4061,637
Where it isGarden City, NYRindge, NH

The softball program itself

Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.

The softball program itself: Adelphi compared with Franklin Pierce
MeasureAdelphiFranklin Pierce
Head coachKatie ApostolopoulosAndrew Klaus

How you actually get in front of them

Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.

How you actually get in front of them: Adelphi compared with Franklin Pierce
MeasureAdelphiFranklin Pierce
Recruiting questionnaireYes
Program on X / InstagramYesYes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at NCAA Division II, so the scholarship rules are identical: 7.2 (equivalency). Full athletic rides are rare at D2. With 7.2 equivalencies spread across a roster, nearly every scholarship is partial — but athletic aid stacks with academic and need-based aid.

How D2 softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.

Adelphi

Find the recruiting questionnaire

We do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Franklin Pierce

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Adelphi vs Franklin Pierce: common questions

Is Adelphi or Franklin Pierce cheaper?
On published price, Franklin Pierce is cheaper — about $60,875 a year in tuition and housing, against $67,318 at Adelphi. That is sticker price; athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off it, so ask both coaches what an actual offer would look like.
Which school graduates more of its students, Adelphi or Franklin Pierce?
Adelphi, at 69% against 46% at Franklin Pierce (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Adelphi and Franklin Pierce offer softball scholarships?
Both play at NCAA Division II: 7.2 (equivalency). Full athletic rides are rare at D2. With 7.2 equivalencies spread across a roster, nearly every scholarship is partial — but athletic aid stacks with academic and need-based aid.
How do I contact the coaches at Adelphi and Franklin Pierce?
Franklin Pierce runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Adelphi, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.

Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.

We work hard to keep all data for Adelphi and Franklin Pierce accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

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