What is the difference between Division I, II and III college sports?

Fans of college sports in the United States have long been familiar with the terms ‘Division I,’ ‘Division II’ and ‘Division III.’

But what are the fundamental differences between each division?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association, known as the NCAA, is the governing body of college sports in the United States and the creator of the structure of divisions we know today.

The NCAA was founded in 1906, but it was not until 1957 that schools were split into divisions, of which there were two: the University Division and College Division. In 1970, the NCAA created Division I, II and III, categorizing its universities and colleges even further in accordance with school size, resource and other factors.

Each acts as its own competition, with a Division I, II and III national championship up for grabs in all three divisions for every sport. Aside from the occasional regular season game, competition between schools from different divisions typically does not occur.

Let’s get into the main differences between Division I, II and III in college athletics.

Level of Competition

As many fans of college sports have come to know, Division I is the highest level of collegiate athletics.

The most popular Division I sporting events include men’s and women’s March Madness, the College Football Playoff, the College World Series and Frozen Four, to name a few. This division is synonymous with “college sports” as it includes the most recognizable schools, conferences, athletes and coaches throughout the history of college athletics.

Typically, the highest-caliber athletes, coaches, and other personnel will be at a Division I program, rather than Division II or III. It is the most logical entryway to professional sports, whether that be through a player draft or coaching opportunity. Many top-end Division I athletic programs operate similarly to professional sports franchises.

Division II sports operate on a much smaller scale and budget than Division I. There are fewer schools (Division II is the smallest of the three divisions with ~300 colleges) and competition is focused regionally rather than nationally.

As a result, fewer top-of-the-line athletes and coaches attend Division II schools.

Then there is Division III, the largest of the three divisions with more than 440 schools. It is the most common path for student-athletes to play a sport in college at the competitive level. While the competition exceeds that of a high school or junior college level, DIII athletics are considered the lowest level of competition of the three divisions.

The primary difference between Division III versus I and II, and the reason why it is the largest of the three, has to do with scholarships given out to student-athletes, which we discuss below.

Scholarships

Aside from competition level, the number of athletic scholarships given out to student-athletes is the primary difference between Division I, II and III college sports.

Division I schools can give out “full-ride” or “partial” athletic scholarships, which cover the cost of tuition, fees, room, board and course-related books. The number of scholarships given out varies by sport, although starting in 2025/26, there will be no more sport-specific scholarship limits.

Traditionally, there were two classifications for how scholarships are distributed among student-athletes – “headcount” and “equivalency.”

“Headcount” sports are the ones that bring in the most revenue, like football and basketball, and exclusively offer full-ride scholarships. The number of scholarships given out per team is fixed.

“Equivalency” sports include baseball, soccer, track and field, and other lesser-revenue-driving sports. Here, scholarship money is flexible and can be distributed among student-athletes as the coach sees fit.

With the new ruling starting in 2025/26, all sports will be considered “equivalency” sports, and there will be no limit to the number of scholarships given out by team, regardless of the sport.

Division I athletes are expected to commit more time to their sport than academics, hence the financial and academic support they receive through scholarships and other resources once they arrive at school.

At Division II schools, there are very few, if any, full-ride athletic scholarships given out. Rather, DII uses a “partial-scholarship model,” in which student-athletes are recognized through athletics-based aid, similar to the equivalency model detailed above.  

At the Division III level, athletic scholarships, whether it be full-ride or partial, do not exist. Division III student-athletes can receive academic and needs-based aid.

Student-Athlete Experience

As detailed above, the student-athlete experience differs greatly from Division I to II to III.

Division I athletes are expected to commit more time and energy to their sport than they do academics. This commitment includes team practice, individual training, recovery, travel, media, team-based activities, and much more. Many Division I athletic programs operate like professional sports franchises, and have the budget and resource to act like one.

Division I also consists of the largest universities, with the biggest sports filling up stadiums and arenas while drawing regional and national interest. Division I sports programs can be a massive source of revenue for a university.

Division III athletes are the opposite – they are expected to commit more time to academics, with sports their second priority, similar to how high school varsity sports work around the United States.

Most every DIII student-athlete will not go on to become a professional athlete, hence the increased emphasis on academics. The game-day scene at a DIII sporting event reflects that of a high school game, rather than one in the pros.

Division II athletes fall somewhere in the middle, but much closer to the Division III student-athlete experience. There is nowhere near the money, recognition and resource in Division II and there is in Division I.  

David Schneidman

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