Auburn Montgomery vs West Virginia State: Softball Program Comparison
Two D2 programs. West Virginia State lists $5,469 less in out-of-state tuition; Auburn Montgomery 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…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Auburn Montgomery graduates 2 percentage points more of its students than West Virginia State.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Auburn Montgomery graduates earn about $3,899 more per year a decade after enrolling.
Lean West Virginia State if…
- You would be in-state: West Virginia State is $387 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Auburn Montgomery.
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at West Virginia State is $1,662 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.
| Measure | Auburn Montgomery | West Virginia State |
|---|---|---|
| In-state tuition & fees | $9,436 | $9,049 — West Virginia State leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition |
| Out-of-state tuition & fees | $20,092 | $14,623 — West Virginia State leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition |
| Room & board | $7,368 — Auburn Montgomery leads on this measure: lower room & board | $12,936 |
| 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 | $21,985 |
| Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $27,460 | $27,559 |
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.
| Measure | Auburn Montgomery | West Virginia State |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 36% — Auburn Montgomery leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree | 34% |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $44,391/yr — Auburn Montgomery leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out | $40,492/yr |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 | $23,338 — West Virginia 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% | 58% |
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.
| Measure | Auburn Montgomery | West Virginia State |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 92% | 96% |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 5,189 | 3,458 |
| Where it is | Montgomery, AL | Institute, WV |
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.
| Measure | Auburn Montgomery | West Virginia State |
|---|---|---|
| Conference | GSC | MEC |
| Head coach | Scottie Wilkes Laney | Mattie Best |
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.
| Measure | Auburn Montgomery | West Virginia State |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | — |
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.
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.
Auburn Montgomery
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
West Virginia State
Find the recruiting questionnaireWe 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.
Auburn Montgomery vs West Virginia State: common questions
- Is Auburn Montgomery or West Virginia State cheaper?
- Published cost is effectively the same — about $27,460 a year out of state in tuition and housing at both, before any aid. Cost is unlikely to be what decides this one.
- Which school graduates more of its students, Auburn Montgomery or West Virginia State?
- Auburn Montgomery, at 36% against 34% at West Virginia State (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Auburn Montgomery and West Virginia 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.
- How do I contact the coaches at Auburn Montgomery and West Virginia State?
- Auburn Montgomery runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For West Virginia 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 West Virginia State accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
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