USC Beaufort vs Winston-Salem State: Softball Program Comparison

Two D2 programs. Winston-Salem State runs $2,711 less per year out of state; Winston-Salem State 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 USC Beaufort if…

  • On the figures we hold, USC Beaufort does not lead Winston-Salem State 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 Winston-Salem State if…

  • You are an out-of-state recruit and the number on the bill matters: Winston-Salem State lists $2,711 less per year in tuition and housing than USC Beaufort.
  • You would be in-state: Winston-Salem State is $3,995 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than USC Beaufort.
  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Winston-Salem State graduates 10 percentage points more of its students than USC Beaufort.

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: USC Beaufort compared with Winston-Salem State
MeasureUSC BeaufortWinston-Salem State
In-state tuition & fees$10,730$6,735 Winston-Salem State leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition
Out-of-state tuition & fees$21,776$17,391 Winston-Salem State leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition
Room & board$9,810 USC Beaufort leads on this measure: lower room & board$11,484
Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$20,540$18,219 Winston-Salem 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.$31,586$28,875 Winston-Salem 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: USC Beaufort compared with Winston-Salem State
MeasureUSC BeaufortWinston-Salem State
Graduation rate39%49% Winston-Salem State leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$45,344/yr
Median debt at graduation$25,000
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.55%

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: USC Beaufort compared with Winston-Salem State
MeasureUSC BeaufortWinston-Salem State
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.78%
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.2,1214,776
Where it isBluffton, SCWinston-Salem, NC

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: USC Beaufort compared with Winston-Salem State
MeasureUSC BeaufortWinston-Salem State
ConferencePBCCIAA
Head coachCodee YeskeTiffany Massey

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: USC Beaufort compared with Winston-Salem State
MeasureUSC BeaufortWinston-Salem State
Recruiting questionnaireYes
Program on X / InstagramYes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at NCAA Division II, so the scholarship rules are identical: 7.2 (equivalency). Full athletic rides are rare at D2. With 7.2 equivalencies spread across a roster, nearly every scholarship is partial — but athletic aid stacks with academic and need-based aid.

How D2 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. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.

USC Beaufort

Find the recruiting questionnaire

We 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.

Winston-Salem State

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.

USC Beaufort vs Winston-Salem State: common questions

Is USC Beaufort or Winston-Salem State cheaper?
On published price, Winston-Salem State is cheaper — about $28,875 a year out of state in tuition and housing, against $31,586 at USC Beaufort. 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, USC Beaufort or Winston-Salem State?
Winston-Salem State, at 49% against 39% at USC Beaufort (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do USC Beaufort and Winston-Salem State offer softball scholarships?
Both play at NCAA Division II: 7.2 (equivalency). Full athletic rides are rare at D2. With 7.2 equivalencies spread across a roster, nearly every scholarship is partial — but athletic aid stacks with academic and need-based aid.
How do I contact the coaches at USC Beaufort and Winston-Salem State?
Winston-Salem State runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For USC Beaufort, 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 USC Beaufort and Winston-Salem State accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

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