Mary vs Sioux Falls: Softball Program Comparison
Two D2 programs in the NSIC. Sioux Falls lists $728 less in tuition; Mary graduates 7 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 Mary if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Mary graduates 7 percentage points more of its students than Sioux Falls.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Mary graduates earn about $6,388 more per year a decade after enrolling.
Lean Sioux Falls if…
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Sioux Falls is $751 lower than at Mary.
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 | Mary | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency. | $21,468 | $20,740 — Sioux Falls leads on this measure: lower published tuition |
| Room & board | $8,506 — Mary leads on this measure: lower room & board | $8,960 |
| Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $29,974 | $29,700 |
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 | Mary | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 68% — Mary leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree | 61% |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $60,909/yr — Mary leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out | $54,521/yr |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,000 | $23,249 — Sioux Falls 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. | 39% — Mary leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn | 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 | Mary | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 75% | 83% |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 3,794 | 1,509 |
| Where it is | Bismarck, ND | Sioux Falls, SD |
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 | Mary | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Tara Wheeler | Tommy Downs |
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 | Mary | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | — |
| Program on X / Instagram | Yes | Yes |
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.
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.
Mary
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.
Sioux Falls
Find the recruiting questionnaireWe 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.
Mary vs Sioux Falls: common questions
- Is Mary or Sioux Falls cheaper?
- Published cost is effectively the same — about $29,974 a year in tuition and housing at both, before any aid. Cost is unlikely to be what decides this one.
- Which school graduates more of its students, Mary or Sioux Falls?
- Mary, at 68% against 61% at Sioux Falls (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Mary and Sioux Falls 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.
- How do I contact the coaches at Mary and Sioux Falls?
- Mary runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Sioux Falls, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.
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 Mary and Sioux Falls 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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