Toledo vs Youngstown State: Softball Program Comparison

Two D1 programs. Youngstown State runs $14,854 less per year out of state; Toledo 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 Toledo if…

  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Toledo graduates 3 percentage points more of its students than Youngstown State.
  • You are weighing the degree as an investment: Toledo graduates earn about $9,088 more per year a decade after enrolling.
  • You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Toledo is $1,750 lower than at Youngstown State.
  • You need an evaluation this summer: we track 2 camps at Toledo against 1 at Youngstown State.

Lean Youngstown State if…

  • You are an out-of-state recruit and the number on the bill matters: Youngstown State lists $14,854 less per year in tuition and housing than Toledo.
  • You would be in-state: Youngstown State is $1,586 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Toledo.

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: Toledo compared with Youngstown State
MeasureToledoYoungstown State
In-state tuition & fees$12,377$10,791 Youngstown State leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition
Out-of-state tuition & fees$21,737$11,151 Youngstown State leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition
Room & board$14,652$10,384 Youngstown State leads on this measure: lower room & board
Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$27,029$21,175 Youngstown State 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.$36,389$21,535 Youngstown State 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.

What you leave with: Toledo compared with Youngstown State
MeasureToledoYoungstown State
Graduation rate56% Toledo leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree53%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$50,632/yr Toledo leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out$41,544/yr
Median debt at graduation$22,250 Toledo leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door$24,000
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.44% Toledo leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn58%

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: Toledo compared with Youngstown State
MeasureToledoYoungstown State
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.92%84%
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.14,93911,040
Where it isToledo, OHYoungstown, OH

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: Toledo compared with Youngstown State
MeasureToledoYoungstown State
ConferenceMACHorizon
NCAA tournament, 2021-2026Furthest round reached each year. Division I only.None since 2021None since 2021
Head coachJessica BracamonteErin Pond

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: Toledo compared with Youngstown State
MeasureToledoYoungstown State
Camps we track2 listed (2 with dates)1 listed (1 with dates)
Recruiting questionnaireYesYes
Program on X / InstagramYesYes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at NCAA Division I, so the scholarship rules are identical: up to 25 (2025 roster rules; traditionally 12). Full rides exist at the top programs, but most D1 softball players are on partial scholarships. Coaches historically split about 12 equivalencies across an entire roster, and even under the 2025 rules most programs fund well below the 25-scholarship maximum.

How D1 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.

Toledo

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

Youngstown State

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

Toledo vs Youngstown State: common questions

Is Toledo or Youngstown State cheaper?
On published price, Youngstown State is cheaper — about $21,535 a year out of state in tuition and housing, against $36,389 at Toledo. 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, Toledo or Youngstown State?
Toledo, at 56% against 53% at Youngstown State (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Toledo and Youngstown State offer softball scholarships?
Both play at NCAA Division I: up to 25 (2025 roster rules; traditionally 12). Full rides exist at the top programs, but most D1 softball players are on partial scholarships. Coaches historically split about 12 equivalencies across an entire roster, and even under the 2025 rules most programs fund well below the 25-scholarship maximum.
Do Toledo and Youngstown State run softball camps?
Both do — we track 2 at Toledo and 1 at Youngstown State. A program's own camp is usually the fastest way to be evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.
How do I contact the coaches at Toledo and Youngstown State?
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 Toledo and Youngstown State accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

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