New Jersey City vs Rhode Island: Softball Program Comparison
Two D3 programs. New Jersey City lists $1,631 less in out-of-state tuition; Rhode Island 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 New Jersey City if…
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at New Jersey City is $2,000 lower than at Rhode Island.
Lean Rhode Island if…
- You would be in-state: Rhode Island is $2,985 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than New Jersey City.
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Rhode Island graduates 7 percentage points more of its students than New Jersey City.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Rhode Island graduates earn about $3,573 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 | New Jersey City | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| In-state tuition & fees | $13,971 | $10,986 — Rhode Island leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition |
| Out-of-state tuition & fees | $24,888 — New Jersey City leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition | $26,519 |
| Room & board | $16,274 | $13,719 — Rhode Island leads on this measure: lower room & board |
| Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $30,245 | $24,705 — Rhode Island leads on this measure: lower total in-state cost |
| Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $41,162 | $40,238 |
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 | New Jersey City | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 39% | 46% — Rhode Island leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $52,745/yr | $56,318/yr — Rhode Island leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,500 — New Jersey City leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door | $20,500 |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 35% — New Jersey City leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn | 36% |
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 | New Jersey City | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 98% | 92% |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 5,833 | 5,767 |
| Where it is | Jersey City, NJ | Providence, RI |
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 | New Jersey City | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| Conference | NJAC | LEC |
| Head coach | Ashley Martinez | Lauren Hatfield |
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 | New Jersey City | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| Program on X / Instagram | 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.
New Jersey City
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.
Rhode Island
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.
New Jersey City vs Rhode Island: common questions
- Is New Jersey City or Rhode Island cheaper?
- Published cost is effectively the same — about $41,162 a year out of state 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, New Jersey City or Rhode Island?
- Rhode Island, at 46% against 39% at New Jersey City (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do New Jersey City and Rhode Island 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.
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 New Jersey City and Rhode Island accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
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