If you want to know all about the NCAA divisions, you’ve come to the right place.
According to the NCAA, there are 363 Division 1 schools, 313 Division 2 schools, and 442 Division 3 schools.
How many NCAA divisions exist?
The NCAA has three division levels: Division I, Division II, and Division III.
To give you a better idea of the size and how these college divisions compare, about 187,000 student-athletes compete at the Division 1 level.
More than 124,375 student-athletes compete in Division 2 and Division 3, with just over 186,000 student-athletes on its various rosters. And that’s just the NCAA divisions.
There’s also the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NAIA has 250 schools and, of course, many options at the junior college level for high school athletes. All divisions share some similarities, but each has aspects that make them unique.
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Student-athletes and parents should note that for the small percentage of high school athletes that end up playing at the D1 and D2 level, only about 57 percent of D1 athletes receive some type of athletics aid and D2 athletes fare just a little better at 60 percent that get athletics aid.
Division I: Your sport, your life
What is a D1 athlete?
A Division 1 (D1) athlete is a student-athlete who participates in a college sports program that is a member of the NCAA Division 1. Division 1 is the highest level of college sports competition in the United States and includes many of the largest and most well-known universities and athletic programs.
What is D1?
D1 is short for Division 1. Division 1 programs offers the highest level of competition between the NCAA’s three divisions. Most Division 1 programs are found at large schools with big athletic budgets.
How many D1 schools are there?
There are 363 NCAA D1 schools across the U.S. Division 1 schools have the largest athletic budgets and provide more scholarships compared to the other division levels.
There are many reasons athletes try for Division 1 colleges. Who wouldn’t want to compete at a large university in front of big crowds against some of the best athletes in their sport?
But playing in a D1 sport is not all glory. Training and practices take up most of your time. You won’t be able to have a part-time job, an internship, or vacation during spring break. You may even be volunteering when you’re not training, practicing, or studying.
Every moment of your day is accounted for. Many athletes stay on campus during the summer and take their most challenging classes then because they can devote more time to them. Some student-athletes feel separated from their classmates because they aren’t training as heavily as they are.
You live, breathe, and sweat your sport because that is what it takes to compete at the D1 level.
If you’re interested in D1, view NCSA’s list of the Best NCAA Division 1 College for student-athletes.
What does D1 mean?
D1 stands for Division 1. It is the toughest division to get into and compete in. If you are on the roster of a Division 1 team, you are a Division 1 athlete.
It’s considered the most challenging division because you spend most of your time training at the gym or practicing. You take classes and study, but never as much as you train and practice.
Division I and the Ivy League 8
Some of the country’s oldest and most prestigious schools make up the Ivy League. They are:
- Brown University
- Columbia
- Cornell
- University of Pennsylvania
- Harvard
- Princeton
- Yale
- Dartmouth
They rank among the top 20 NCAA Division 1 schools within the NCSA Power Rankings. And according to the NCAA, more than 8,000 student-athletes compete every year for these schools.
Most choose the Ivy League for its ultra-high level of competition in both athletics and academics. If an Ivy League school is on your target list, note that these schools do not award academic or athletic scholarships.
Financial aid is based on needs determined by the financial aid office at each school. Some schools will change their financial aid options yearly based on your grades and sports performance.
