Hood vs Lebanon Valley: Softball Program Comparison
Two D3 programs in the MAC. Hood runs $5,540 less per year; Lebanon Valley graduates 18 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 Hood if…
- The number on the bill matters: Hood lists $5,540 less per year in tuition and housing than Lebanon Valley, and neither charges by residency.
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Hood is $2,000 lower than at Lebanon Valley.
Lean Lebanon Valley if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Lebanon Valley graduates 18 percentage points more of its students than Hood.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Lebanon Valley graduates earn about $5,532 more per year a decade after enrolling.
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 | Hood | Lebanon Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency. | $45,870 — Hood leads on this measure: lower published tuition | $50,320 |
| Room & board | $14,250 — Hood leads on this measure: lower room & board | $15,340 |
| Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $60,120 — Hood leads on this measure: lower total cost per year | $65,660 |
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 | Hood | Lebanon Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 55% | 73% — Lebanon Valley leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $57,089/yr | $62,621/yr — Lebanon Valley leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 — Hood 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. | 44% | 43% |
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 | Hood | Lebanon Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 78% | 84% |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 2,078 | 2,142 |
| Where it is | Frederick, MD | Annville, PA |
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 | Hood | Lebanon Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Gregory Powers | Scot Adams |
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 | Hood | Lebanon Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | Yes |
| Program on X / Instagram | Yes | Yes |
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.
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.
Hood
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.
Lebanon Valley
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.
Hood vs Lebanon Valley: common questions
- Is Hood or Lebanon Valley cheaper?
- On published price, Hood is cheaper — about $60,120 a year in tuition and housing, against $65,660 at Lebanon Valley. 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, Hood or Lebanon Valley?
- Lebanon Valley, at 73% against 55% at Hood (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Hood and Lebanon Valley 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.
- How do I contact the coaches at Hood and Lebanon Valley?
- 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 Hood and Lebanon Valley accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
Track both programs, log every coach you contact, and see where you actually stand against each one's recruiting profile.
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