Central Alabama Community College vs Dyersburg State Community College: Softball Program Comparison

Two JUCO programs. Central Alabama Community College lists $8,890 less in out-of-state tuition; Dyersburg State Community College graduates 3 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 Central Alabama Community College if…

  • On the figures we hold, Central Alabama Community College does not lead Dyersburg State Community College 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 Dyersburg State Community College if…

  • You would be in-state: Dyersburg State Community College is $500 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Central Alabama Community College.
  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Dyersburg State Community College graduates 3 percentage points more of its students than Central Alabama Community College.
  • You are weighing the degree as an investment: Dyersburg State Community College graduates earn about $2,626 more per year a decade after enrolling.
  • You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Dyersburg State Community College is $2,866 lower than at Central Alabama Community College.

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: Central Alabama Community College compared with Dyersburg State Community College
MeasureCentral Alabama Community CollegeDyersburg State Community College
In-state tuition & fees$5,040$4,540 Dyersburg State Community College leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition
Out-of-state tuition & fees$8,850 Central Alabama Community College leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition$17,740

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: Central Alabama Community College compared with Dyersburg State Community College
MeasureCentral Alabama Community CollegeDyersburg State Community College
Graduation rate24%27% Dyersburg State Community College leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$33,506/yr$36,132/yr Dyersburg State Community College leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out
Median debt at graduation$9,766$6,900 Dyersburg State Community College 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.29%19% Dyersburg State Community College 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: Central Alabama Community College compared with Dyersburg State Community College
MeasureCentral Alabama Community CollegeDyersburg State Community College
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.1,9103,143
Where it isAlexander City, ALDyersburg, TN

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: Central Alabama Community College compared with Dyersburg State Community College
MeasureCentral Alabama Community CollegeDyersburg State Community College
ConferenceACCCTCCAA
Head coachGreg ShiversDusty Rhodes

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: Central Alabama Community College compared with Dyersburg State Community College
MeasureCentral Alabama Community CollegeDyersburg State Community College
Program on X / InstagramYes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges), so the scholarship rules are identical: varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.

How JUCO 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.

Central Alabama Community College

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.

Dyersburg State Community College

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.

Central Alabama Community College vs Dyersburg State Community College: common questions

Which school graduates more of its students, Central Alabama Community College or Dyersburg State Community College?
Dyersburg State Community College, at 27% against 24% at Central Alabama Community College (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Central Alabama Community College and Dyersburg State Community College offer softball scholarships?
Both play at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges): varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.

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 Central Alabama Community College and Dyersburg State Community College accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

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