North Central vs St. Norbert: Softball Program Comparison
Two D3 programs. St. Norbert graduates 3 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 North Central if…
- On the figures we hold, North Central does not lead St. Norbert on any measure above. If you are choosing between them, the deciding factors are the ones no table holds: how the staff talks to you, where you would sit on the depth chart, and whether you would want to be there without softball.
Lean St. Norbert if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: St. Norbert graduates 3 percentage points more of its students than North Central.
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 | North Central | St. Norbert |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency. | $44,394 | $44,432 |
| Room & board | $12,434 | $12,698 |
| Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $56,828 | $57,130 |
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 | North Central | St. Norbert |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 71% | 74% — St. Norbert leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $60,123/yr | — |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,500 | — |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 41% | — |
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 | North Central | St. Norbert |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 77% | — |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 2,856 | 2,165 |
| Where it is | Naperville, IL | De Pere, WI |
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 | North Central | St. Norbert |
|---|---|---|
| Conference | CCIW | NACC |
| Head coach | Venus Taylor | Madelyn Fink |
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 | North Central | St. Norbert |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | — |
| 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.
North Central
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.
St. Norbert
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.
North Central vs St. Norbert: common questions
- Is North Central or St. Norbert cheaper?
- Published cost is effectively the same — about $56,828 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, North Central or St. Norbert?
- St. Norbert, at 74% against 71% at North Central (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do North Central and St. Norbert 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 North Central and St. Norbert?
- North Central runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For St. Norbert, 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 North Central and St. Norbert 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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