Penn State Behrend vs Pitt-Bradford: Softball Program Comparison
Two D3 programs in the AMCC. Pitt-Bradford runs $4,100 less per year out of state; Penn State Behrend 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 Penn State Behrend if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Penn State Behrend graduates 3 percentage points more of its students than Pitt-Bradford.
Lean Pitt-Bradford if…
- You are an out-of-state recruit and the number on the bill matters: Pitt-Bradford lists $4,100 less per year in tuition and housing than Penn State Behrend.
- You would be in-state: Pitt-Bradford is $1,324 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Penn State Behrend.
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 | Penn State Behrend | Pitt-Bradford |
|---|---|---|
| In-state tuition & fees | $15,944 | $14,620 — Pitt-Bradford leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition |
| Out-of-state tuition & fees | $26,668 | $26,494 |
| Room & board | $14,774 | $10,848 — Pitt-Bradford leads on this measure: lower room & board |
| Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $30,718 | $25,468 — Pitt-Bradford 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. | $41,442 | $37,342 — Pitt-Bradford leads on this measure: lower total out-of-state cost |
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 | Penn State Behrend | Pitt-Bradford |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 46% — Penn State Behrend leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree | 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 | Penn State Behrend | Pitt-Bradford |
|---|---|---|
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 3,323 | 1,003 |
| Where it is | Erie, PA | Bradford, 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 | Penn State Behrend | Pitt-Bradford |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Ashley Gruber | Tina Phillips |
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 | Penn State Behrend | Pitt-Bradford |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | 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.
Penn State Behrend
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.
Pitt-Bradford
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.
Penn State Behrend vs Pitt-Bradford: common questions
- Is Penn State Behrend or Pitt-Bradford cheaper?
- On published price, Pitt-Bradford is cheaper — about $37,342 a year out of state in tuition and housing, against $41,442 at Penn State Behrend. 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, Penn State Behrend or Pitt-Bradford?
- Penn State Behrend, at 46% against 43% at Pitt-Bradford (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Penn State Behrend and Pitt-Bradford 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 Penn State Behrend and Pitt-Bradford?
- 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 Penn State Behrend and Pitt-Bradford 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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