Bellevue vs Harris-Stowe State: Softball Program Comparison
Two NAIA programs. Bellevue runs $1,589 less per year out of state; Bellevue graduates 29 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 Bellevue if…
- You are an out-of-state recruit and the number on the bill matters: Bellevue lists $1,589 less per year in tuition and housing than Harris-Stowe State.
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Bellevue graduates 29 percentage points more of its students than Harris-Stowe State.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Bellevue graduates earn about $30,201 more per year a decade after enrolling.
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Bellevue is $5,930 lower than at Harris-Stowe State.
Lean Harris-Stowe State if…
- You would be in-state: Harris-Stowe State is $2,444 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Bellevue.
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 | Bellevue | Harris-Stowe State |
|---|---|---|
| In-state tuition & fees | $8,886 | $6,442 — Harris-Stowe State leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition |
| Out-of-state tuition & fees | $8,886 — Bellevue leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition | $11,074 |
| Room & board | $10,683 | $10,084 — Harris-Stowe State leads on this measure: lower room & board |
| Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $19,569 | $16,526 — Harris-Stowe State leads on this measure: lower total in-state cost |
| Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $19,569 — Bellevue leads on this measure: lower total out-of-state cost | $21,158 |
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 | Bellevue | Harris-Stowe State |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 56% — Bellevue leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree | 27% |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $61,289/yr — Bellevue leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out | $31,088/yr |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,000 — Bellevue leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door | $25,930 |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 33% — Bellevue leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn | 83% |
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 | Bellevue | Harris-Stowe State |
|---|---|---|
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 14,476 | 1,098 |
| Where it is | Bellevue, NE | Saint Louis, MO |
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 | Bellevue | Harris-Stowe State |
|---|---|---|
| Conference | FRON | AMC |
| Head coach | Michala Cimino | Larry Young |
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 | Bellevue | Harris-Stowe State |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | Yes |
Scholarship money, honestly
Both programs sit at NAIA, so the scholarship rules are identical: 10 (equivalency). NAIA softball allows 10 scholarship equivalencies, and coaches have flexibility in how they divide them. Most awards are partial, frequently stacked with academic 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.
Bellevue
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.
Harris-Stowe State
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.
Bellevue vs Harris-Stowe State: common questions
- Is Bellevue or Harris-Stowe State cheaper?
- On published price, Bellevue is cheaper — about $19,569 a year out of state in tuition and housing, against $21,158 at Harris-Stowe State. 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, Bellevue or Harris-Stowe State?
- Bellevue, at 56% against 27% at Harris-Stowe State (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Bellevue and Harris-Stowe State offer softball scholarships?
- Both play at NAIA: 10 (equivalency). NAIA softball allows 10 scholarship equivalencies, and coaches have flexibility in how they divide them. Most awards are partial, frequently stacked with academic aid.
- How do I contact the coaches at Bellevue and Harris-Stowe State?
- 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 Bellevue and Harris-Stowe State accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
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