Among the three NCAA divisions, Division I universities generally have the biggest student bodies, manage the largest athletics budgets and offer the most generous number of scholarships. Universities who are members of Division I commit to maintaining a high academic standard for student-athletes in addition to a wide range of opportunities for athletics participation.
With nearly 350 colleges and universities in its membership, Division I schools field more than 6,000 athletic teams, providing opportunities for more than 170,000 student-athletes to compete in NCAA sports each year.
Division I college sport has helped the NCAA generate over $1 billion in annual revenue. DI universities spend a very large amount of money on their college organizations in the facilities, coaches, equipment, and other aspects, and as a result many Division I athletic directors and basketball and football coaches have annual multimillion-dollar salaries. The highest paid NCAA basketball coach in 2019 was Duke University's Mike Krzyzewski at $10 million per year and the highest paid football coach the University of Alabama's Nick Saban at $9 million per year.
Big brands such as Nike, Adidas and Under Armour have also invested heavily in Division I college sports in order to have their brands associated with the leading student-athletes in the nation. UCLA’s $260 million kit deal with Under Armour highlights the level of investment being made in Division I college sports teams.
| NCAA Div I Sports | NCAA Div I Colleges | NCAA Div I Scholarships |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 298 | 11.7 |
| Basketball (M) | 344 | 13 |
| Basketball (W) | 342 | 13 |
| Bowling (W) | 31 | 5 |
| Cross Country (M) | 305 | 12.6 |
| Cross Country (W) | 333 | 18 |
| Field Hockey (W) | 78 | 12 |
| Football FBS | 120 | 85 |
| Football FCS | 125 | 63 |
| Golf (M) | 294 | 4.5 |
| Golf (W) | 238 | 6 |
| Ice Hockey (M) | 58 | 18 |
| Ice Hockey (W) | 34 | 18 |
| Lacrosse (M) | 59 | 12.6 |
| Lacrosse (W) | 87 | 12 |
| Rowing (W) | 81 | 20 |
| Soccer (M) | 204 | 9.9 |
| Soccer (W) | 314 | 14 |
| Softball | 286 | 12 |
| Swimming (M) | 134 | 9.9 |
| Swimming (W) | 192 | 14 |
| Tennis (M) | 263 | 4.5 |
| Tennis (W) | 320 | 8 |
| Track and Field (M) | 274 | 12.6 |
| Track and Field (W) | 312 | 12.6 |
| Volleyball (M) | 25 | 4.5 |
| Volleyball (W) | 327 | 12 |
| Water Polo (M) | 45 | 4.5 |
| Water Polo (W) | 65 | 8 |
| Wrestling | 73 | 9.9 |
What happens on a call?
A call with our USA Education Consultants is your first chance to discuss your future academic or sporting pathways with an expert.
During the call, you will:
- Get an idea of what it might take for you to reach your dream university
- Get a personalised and detailed quote of our services based on your needs
- Understand what financial and time commitment it will take to get into a top university
- Discuss the strength of your application profile