Skidmore vs Wesleyan: Softball Program Comparison

Two D3 programs. Skidmore runs $3,980 less per year; Wesleyan graduates 10 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 Skidmore if…

  • The number on the bill matters: Skidmore lists $3,980 less per year in tuition and housing than Wesleyan, and neither charges by residency.
  • You need an evaluation this summer: we track 2 camps at Skidmore against none listed at Wesleyan.

Lean Wesleyan if…

  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Wesleyan graduates 10 percentage points more of its students than Skidmore.
  • You are weighing the degree as an investment: Wesleyan graduates earn about $4,534 more per year a decade after enrolling.
  • You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Wesleyan is $2,500 lower than at Skidmore.

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.

What it costs to go there: Skidmore compared with Wesleyan
MeasureSkidmoreWesleyan
Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency.$65,030 Skidmore leads on this measure: lower published tuition$67,316
Room & board$17,340 Skidmore leads on this measure: lower room & board$19,034
Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$82,370 Skidmore leads on this measure: lower total cost per year$86,350

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.

What you leave with: Skidmore compared with Wesleyan
MeasureSkidmoreWesleyan
Graduation rate82%92% Wesleyan leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$69,363/yr$73,897/yr Wesleyan leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out
Median debt at graduation$19,500$17,000 Wesleyan 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.28%23% Wesleyan leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn

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.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: Skidmore compared with Wesleyan
MeasureSkidmoreWesleyan
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.21%16%
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.2,7763,271
Where it isSaratoga Springs, NYMiddletown, CT

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.

The softball program itself: Skidmore compared with Wesleyan
MeasureSkidmoreWesleyan
ConferenceLiberty LeagueNESCAC
Head coachLiz NeubinskiJen Lane

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.

How you actually get in front of them: Skidmore compared with Wesleyan
MeasureSkidmoreWesleyan
Camps we track2 listed (1 with dates)
Recruiting questionnaireYesYes
Program on X / InstagramYes

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.

How D3 softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. A program's own camp is where its staff does most of its evaluating — submit the questionnaire first so they know to look for you.

Skidmore

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

Wesleyan

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Skidmore vs Wesleyan: common questions

Is Skidmore or Wesleyan cheaper?
On published price, Skidmore is cheaper — about $82,370 a year in tuition and housing, against $86,350 at Wesleyan. 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, Skidmore or Wesleyan?
Wesleyan, at 92% against 82% at Skidmore (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Skidmore and Wesleyan 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.
Do Skidmore and Wesleyan run softball camps?
We track 2 camps at Skidmore and none currently listed at Wesleyan. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
How do I contact the coaches at Skidmore and Wesleyan?
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 Skidmore and Wesleyan accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

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