Auburn Montgomery vs Henderson State: Softball Program Comparison

Two D2 programs. Henderson State runs $6,898 less per year out of state; Henderson State graduates 2 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 Auburn Montgomery if…

  • On the figures we hold, Auburn Montgomery does not lead Henderson State on any measure above. If you are choosing between them, the deciding factors are the ones no table holds: how the staff talks to you, where you would sit on the depth chart, and whether you would want to be there without softball.

Lean Henderson State if…

  • You are an out-of-state recruit and the number on the bill matters: Henderson State lists $6,898 less per year in tuition and housing than Auburn Montgomery.
  • You would be in-state: Henderson State is $1,551 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Auburn Montgomery.
  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Henderson State graduates 2 percentage points more of its students than Auburn Montgomery.
  • You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Henderson State is $5,500 lower than at Auburn Montgomery.

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: Auburn Montgomery compared with Henderson State
MeasureAuburn MontgomeryHenderson State
In-state tuition & fees$9,436$7,885 Henderson State leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition
Out-of-state tuition & fees$20,092$9,882 Henderson State leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition
Room & board$7,368 Auburn Montgomery leads on this measure: lower room & board$10,680
Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$16,804 Auburn Montgomery leads on this measure: lower total in-state cost$18,565
Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$27,460$20,562 Henderson State leads on this measure: lower total out-of-state cost

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: Auburn Montgomery compared with Henderson State
MeasureAuburn MontgomeryHenderson State
Graduation rate36%38% Henderson State leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$44,391/yr$43,459/yr
Median debt at graduation$25,000$19,500 Henderson State leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.56%45% Henderson State leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn

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: Auburn Montgomery compared with Henderson State
MeasureAuburn MontgomeryHenderson State
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.92%
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.5,1892,136
Where it isMontgomery, ALArkadelphia, AR

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: Auburn Montgomery compared with Henderson State
MeasureAuburn MontgomeryHenderson State
ConferenceGSCGAC
Head coachScottie Wilkes LaneyJoel Worthington

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: Auburn Montgomery compared with Henderson State
MeasureAuburn MontgomeryHenderson State
Camps we track1 listed (1 with dates)
Recruiting questionnaireYes
Program on X / InstagramYes

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. A program's own camp is where its staff does most of its evaluating — submit the questionnaire first so they know to look for you.

Auburn Montgomery

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.

Henderson State

Find the recruiting questionnaire

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

Camps we track

Auburn Montgomery vs Henderson State: common questions

Is Auburn Montgomery or Henderson State cheaper?
On published price, Henderson State is cheaper — about $20,562 a year out of state in tuition and housing, against $27,460 at Auburn Montgomery. 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, Auburn Montgomery or Henderson State?
Henderson State, at 38% against 36% at Auburn Montgomery (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Auburn Montgomery and Henderson State 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.
Do Auburn Montgomery and Henderson State run softball camps?
We track 1 camp at Henderson State and none currently listed at Auburn Montgomery. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
How do I contact the coaches at Auburn Montgomery and Henderson State?
Auburn Montgomery runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Henderson State, 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 Auburn Montgomery and Henderson State accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

Track both programs, log every coach you contact, and see where you actually stand against each one's recruiting profile.

Start free

Other comparisons worth making