Levels compared

D1 vs D2 vs D3 vs NAIA vs JUCO

Every level has a different answer to the same question: can this school pay me to play, and how much? Here is the comparison, with each row linked to the governing body's own numbers.

At a glance

Athletic aid by level

NCAA school counts are for 2026-27 and aid percentages are from 2025-26 data, both from the NCAA's 2026-27 college-bound guide. The NAIA figure is from NAIA.org.

Level	Schools	Athletic aid	Academic standard to compete as a freshman
NCAA Division I	361 schools	Yes. Multiyear, cost-of-attendance scholarships available; 70% of athletes receive athletics aid	16 core courses, 10/7 rule, 2.3 core GPA	Source
NCAA Division II	296 schools	Yes, a partial-scholarship model; 77% of athletes receive athletics aid	16 core courses, 2.2 core GPA	Source
NCAA Division III	416 schools	No athletics scholarships; 80% of athletes receive non-athletics aid	School admission standards	Source
NAIA	About 250 schools	Yes; each sport has an overall aid limit, full or partial	2.3 GPA, or two of: 18 ACT / 970 SAT, 2.0 GPA, top half of class	Source
NJCAA Division I	Two-year colleges	Full scholarships possible: tuition, books, fees, room and board	NJCAA eligibility rules	Source
NJCAA Division II	Two-year colleges	Tuition, books, fees and up to $250 in course supplies	NJCAA eligibility rules	Source
NJCAA Division III	Two-year colleges	No athletic scholarships	NJCAA eligibility rules	Source

NCAA Division I

The highest level of NCAA competition. At schools in the House settlement, sport-specific scholarship caps are gone and roster limits apply instead. NCAA.org

Division I can offer multiyear, cost-of-attendance scholarships, and schools award over $3.4 billion in athletics scholarships a year. NCAA guide

NCAA Division II

The NCAA describes Division II as a partial-scholarship model: athletics scholarships combine with academic or need-based aid. Team aid is capped by sport in equivalencies, so a coach can split awards across many athletes. NCAA.org

We could not find a current official per-sport Division II limit table online today, so we don't print one. Ask each coach how many equivalencies the program actually funds.

NCAA Division III

Division III schools don't offer athletics scholarships, but athletes can receive academic scholarships, grants and need-based aid, and the NCAA says 80% of Division III athletes receive non-athletics aid. It is the NCAA's largest division, with more than 200,000 athletes. NCAA.org NCAA.org

NAIA

About 250 smaller colleges. Each sport has an overall aid limit that can be split into full or partial grants; baseball's limit, for example, is 12 full grant equivalencies. Aid to academically gifted students can be exempt from the limit if NAIA criteria are met. NAIA.org

The NAIA says more than 83,000 athletes earn over $1.3 billion in scholarships a year. NAIA guide

Junior college (NJCAA)

Two-year colleges with three divisions. Division I may give full athletic scholarships, Division II is limited to tuition, books, fees and up to $250 in course supplies, and Division III can't give athletic scholarships. Each sport has its own limit on the number of scholarships. NJCAA.org

Junior college is a common route to a four-year program later. Under the NCAA's new age-based rule, two-year college enrollment starts your NCAA eligibility clock. NCAA Eligibility Center

Stacking aid

Most athletics scholarships are partial, so families combine them with academic awards, NCAA aid programs and need-based aid such as Pell Grants. You must report all aid you receive to the school's financial aid office. NCAA guide

See private scholarships open to athletes.

How to choose

Pick the level that fits the whole picture

Playing time. A starting role at a Division II or NAIA school can be worth more to your development than a bench spot at Division I.

Net cost. A large academic scholarship at a Division III school can cost less than a small athletic scholarship elsewhere. Compare the bottom-line cost after all aid.

Academics. NCAA certification isn't admission; you still have to be admitted to the school. Pick schools where you would be happy if you stopped playing.

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Questions

Common questions

Does NAIA give full athletic scholarships?

It can. NAIA aid may be full or partial, but each sport has an overall team limit, so many athletes receive partial awards. Baseball's limit, for example, is 12 full grant equivalencies.

How do D2 athletic scholarships work?

Division II uses a partial-scholarship model. Each sport has a team limit counted in equivalencies, and coaches split that amount across the roster, usually alongside academic or need-based aid.

Can Division III schools give scholarships to athletes?

Not for athletics. Division III athletes can still receive academic scholarships, grants and need-based aid like any other student.

Do junior colleges give athletic scholarships?

NJCAA Division I and II colleges can. Division I may cover tuition, books, fees, room and board; Division II is limited to tuition, books, fees and up to $250 in course supplies. Division III colleges can't.