Coe vs Wittenberg: Softball Program Comparison

Two D3 programs. Wittenberg runs $8,500 less per year; Coe graduates 13 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 Coe if…

  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Coe graduates 13 percentage points more of its students than Wittenberg.
  • You are weighing the degree as an investment: Coe graduates earn about $2,178 more per year a decade after enrolling.
  • You need an evaluation this summer: we track 1 camp at Coe against none listed at Wittenberg.

Lean Wittenberg if…

  • The number on the bill matters: Wittenberg lists $8,500 less per year in tuition and housing than Coe, and neither charges by residency.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price: tuition from the federal College Scorecard, room and board 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: Coe compared with Wittenberg
MeasureCoeWittenberg
Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency.$54,666$45,940 — Wittenberg leads on this measure: lower published tuition
Room & board$11,336$11,562
Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$66,002$57,502 — Wittenberg 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: Coe compared with Wittenberg
MeasureCoeWittenberg
Graduation rate66% — Coe leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree53%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$57,125/yr — Coe leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out$54,947/yr
Median debt at graduation$27,000$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.47% — Coe leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn49%

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: Coe compared with Wittenberg
MeasureCoeWittenberg
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.64%72%
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.1,2781,333
Where it isCedar Rapids, IASpringfield, 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: Coe compared with Wittenberg
MeasureCoeWittenberg
ConferenceARCNCAC
Head coachJake KoolbeckAshley Goodwin

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: Coe compared with Wittenberg
MeasureCoeWittenberg
Camps we track1 listed (1 with dates)—
Recruiting questionnaireYesYes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at NCAA Division III, so the scholarship rules are identical: 0 (no athletic scholarships). There are no athletic scholarships at D3 — by rule. But D3 schools often award generous academic merit and need-based aid that can rival an athletic scholarship elsewhere.

How D3 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.

Coe

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

Wittenberg

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.

Coe vs Wittenberg: common questions

Is Coe or Wittenberg cheaper?
On published price, Wittenberg is cheaper — about $57,502 a year in tuition and housing, against $66,002 at Coe. 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, Coe or Wittenberg?
Coe, at 66% against 53% at Wittenberg (College Scorecard). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Coe and Wittenberg offer softball scholarships?
Both play at NCAA Division III: 0 (no athletic scholarships). There are no athletic scholarships at D3 — by rule. But D3 schools often award generous academic merit and need-based aid that can rival an athletic scholarship elsewhere.
Do Coe and Wittenberg run softball camps?
We track 1 camp at Coe and none currently listed at Wittenberg. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
How do I contact the coaches at Coe and Wittenberg?
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.

Tuition, graduation, earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard (U.S. Dept. of Education, released June 10, 2026). Room and board, enrollment, and graduation rates at two-year colleges from IPEDS (2023-2024). 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 Coe and Wittenberg accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

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