Augustana vs Walsh: Softball Program Comparison

Two D2 programs. Walsh runs $2,255 less per year; Augustana graduates 14 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 Augustana if…

  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Augustana graduates 14 percentage points more of its students than Walsh.
  • You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Augustana is $2,000 lower than at Walsh.

Lean Walsh if…

  • The number on the bill matters: Walsh lists $2,255 less per year in tuition and housing than Augustana, and neither charges by residency.
  • You need an evaluation this summer: we track 1 camp at Walsh against none listed at Augustana.

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: Augustana compared with Walsh
MeasureAugustanaWalsh
Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency.$39,190$34,595 Walsh leads on this measure: lower published tuition
Room & board$9,470 Augustana leads on this measure: lower room & board$11,810
Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$48,660$46,405 Walsh 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: Augustana compared with Walsh
MeasureAugustanaWalsh
Graduation rate76% Augustana leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree62%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$59,217/yr$59,764/yr
Median debt at graduation$25,000 Augustana 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.42% Augustana leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn45%

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: Augustana compared with Walsh
MeasureAugustanaWalsh
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.68%71%
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.2,1582,160
Where it isSioux Falls, SDNorth Canton, OH

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: Augustana compared with Walsh
MeasureAugustanaWalsh
ConferenceNSICG-MAC
Head coachColleen PowersKatie Connell

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: Augustana compared with Walsh
MeasureAugustanaWalsh
Camps we track1 listed (1 with dates)
Recruiting questionnaireYesYes
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. 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.

Augustana

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.

Walsh

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

Augustana vs Walsh: common questions

Is Augustana or Walsh cheaper?
On published price, Walsh is cheaper — about $46,405 a year in tuition and housing, against $48,660 at Augustana. 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, Augustana or Walsh?
Augustana, at 76% against 62% at Walsh (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Augustana and Walsh 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 Augustana and Walsh run softball camps?
We track 1 camp at Walsh and none currently listed at Augustana. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
How do I contact the coaches at Augustana and Walsh?
Both programs run a recruiting questionnaire, and that is the right first move — it is exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit it at any age. Fill out both, then follow with an email to each staff.

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 Augustana and Walsh accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

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