Morningside vs Olivet Nazarene: Softball Program Comparison
Two NAIA programs. Olivet Nazarene graduates 7 points more of its students; Morningside graduates earn $2,281 more a decade out.
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 Morningside if…
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Morningside graduates earn about $2,281 more per year a decade after enrolling.
- Admissions is the part you are least sure about: Morningside admits 71% of applicants.
Lean Olivet Nazarene if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Olivet Nazarene graduates 7 percentage points more of its students than Morningside.
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Olivet Nazarene is $1,028 lower than at Morningside.
- Your transcript is a strength: Olivet Nazarene admits 56% of applicants, so strong grades count for more here.
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 | Morningside | Olivet Nazarene |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency. | $38,190 | $37,940 |
| Room & board | $11,204 | $10,590 — Olivet Nazarene leads on this measure: lower room & board |
| Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $49,394 | $48,530 |
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 | Morningside | Olivet Nazarene |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 53% | 60% — Olivet Nazarene leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $55,494/yr — Morningside leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out | $53,213/yr |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,028 | $25,000 — Olivet Nazarene 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. | 47% | 47% |
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 | Morningside | Olivet Nazarene |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 71% | 56% |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 2,158 | 3,275 |
| Where it is | Sioux City, IA | Bourbonnais, IL |
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 | Morningside | Olivet Nazarene |
|---|---|---|
| Conference | GPAC | CCAC |
| Head coach | Brooke Pruner | Lauren Herlihy |
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 | Morningside | Olivet Nazarene |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | — | 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.
Morningside
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.
Olivet Nazarene
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.
Morningside vs Olivet Nazarene: common questions
- Is Morningside or Olivet Nazarene cheaper?
- Published cost is effectively the same — about $49,394 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, Morningside or Olivet Nazarene?
- Olivet Nazarene, at 60% against 53% at Morningside (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Morningside and Olivet Nazarene 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 Morningside and Olivet Nazarene?
- Olivet Nazarene runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Morningside, 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 Morningside and Olivet Nazarene 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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