What's better D2 or NAIA?
Daniel Moore
Published Jan 23, 2026
DII schools spend 70% more than NAIA schools to offer quality athletic programs. NAIA schools spend significantly less to be nationally competitive. The median athletics budget difference between the NAIA Top 100 Directors' Cup schools and all NAIA members was $400,000. For DII schools, the difference was $2.4 million.
What is the difference between NAIA D1 and D2?
Typically, NCAA Division 1 teams have more sports and a larger American football or basketball team. Universities with fewer teams or without American football/basketball tend to be NCAA Division 2 or NAIA schools.
Do NAIA players get drafted?
Last year, 45 NAIA athletes (including 33 pitchers) were lucky enough to get drafted, something many baseball players can only dream of. This year, 44 players from 28 schools were drafted by 24 of MLB's 30 professional organizations. The first player taken was Dane Phillips from Oklahoma City University.
Is D3 lower than NAIA?
NAIA also has lower academic standards for athletics which helps them to draw some very talented athletes as well that would not be eligible by NCAA standards. The arguement was NAIA /D3 and there is not much to base to a D3 agruement for D3. NAIA is the higher level of football than D3 anyway you want to slice it.
Is D2 a good division?
It is considered to be the most competitive division with the best athletes and teams. There is a separation within Division 1 as well. You have the high major, mid-major, and lower D1 conferences. D2 has some pretty solid teams and athletes, but the schools tend to be a little smaller and have lower budgets.
21 related questions foundShould I go D1 or D2?
Is D1 or D2 better? D1 athletes are more competitive, and typically have a better chance of receiving scholarships and going pro in their sport. That being said, D2 athletes have more time to focus on their studies and pursue other interests.
Can you go D1 from D2?
A player going from D2 to D1 must sit out one season before becoming eligible unless he's a graduate transfer; a D1 transfer is immediately eligible in D2. One of the biggest D2-to-D1 success stories is Derrick White.
Is it better to go D3 or NAIA?
The well funded NAIA teams are much better than D3 as they should be. NAIA can offer 24 scholarships (Plus as many as they want for non varsity players or redshirts. Plus lower academic standards for athletes in NAIA allows helps NAIA get more D1 ability players.
Can you transfer from NAIA to D1?
Athletes transferring from an NAIA school to an NCAA Division 1 or Division 2 school will find that they have the strictest transfer rules. Because the transfer rules can be so complex, athletes need to work through their school's compliance office to make sure they check off all the required boxes.
Does NAIA give athletic scholarships?
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) offers scholarships on both the Division I and Division II level. Division III level sports do not offer scholarship funding.
Is NAIA more competitive than d2?
While many of the demographics for top performing schools in the NAIA and the NCAA are similar, there are some key differences that set the NAIA apart. DII schools spend 70% more than NAIA schools to offer quality athletic programs. NAIA schools spend significantly less to be nationally competitive.
Has any NFL player played NAIA?
How many players in the NFL came lower level Divisions? According to our friends at Football Next Level, there is a total of 423 players from Non-FBS schools. Check out every player from Non-FBS schools here! Below are the players from Division 3, NAIA, Canada, Community College and No College at all.
Do NAIA athletes go pro?
There are many athletes who competed at NAIA schools and went on to pursue professional sports careers. Tramaine Brock signed on as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers following the 2010 NFL Draft.
Can NAIA offer full rides?
Most NAIA schools have the ability to offer full-ride scholarships, but it's extremely uncommon for them to offer one. Similar to the NCAA, the NAIA sets a maximum number of full scholarships allowed to be distributed for each sport.
Is JUCO better than D1?
The Levels of College Sports
D1 is the best, with JUCO being the worst. The best players, coaches, facilities, and teams are D1 – and the worst are JUCO. While this may be true for some schools – there is much more congruency than you were originally led to believe. In actuality, all the levels are overlapped.
Is NAIA a good division?
NAIA: The Right Choice for You
If your school wants to be nationally competitive at a reasonable price, while driving enrollment and supporting the school's bottom line, the NAIA is the best association for you. NAIA schools measure success not just by game scores, but by their financial bottom lines, too.
Do NAIA athletes get free gear?
Yes we get free gear, but it is nowhere near what big schools receive. We may get a few shirts along with uniform equipment but that is the extent of our clothing benefits. We do get to travel, but we are treated like every other student on campus, but professors tend to work with the athletes well.
Is NAIA more competitive than d3?
DIII schools spend 70% more than NAIA schools to offer quality athletic programs. NAIA schools spend significantly less to be nationally competitive. The median athletics operating budget difference between the NAIA Top 100 Directors' Cup schools and all NAIA members was $300,000.
What GPA does NAIA require?
The NAIA Eligibility Center will provide qualified seniors with an eligibility decision before graduation if they meet or exceed the following criteria: They must have completed their junior year of high school. They need to have at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, or a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale midway through senior year.
Is Culver Stockton a Division 1 college?
Culver - Stockton competes in the NAIA Division II , and is one of the Heart of America Athletic Conference schools.
WHEN CAN Division 3 coaches call?
-College coaches cannot contact you on competition or practice days until your event is finished, and you are dismissed by the proper authority (like your high school coach or athletic director). -During a contact period college coaches can make only one visit per week to your high school.
Is Division 3 the same as NAIA?
NAIA Institutions Can Provide Athletic Scholarships
The recruiting budget of NAIA schools typically have smaller recruiting budgets like Division III schools. However unlike Division III schools, NAIA schools can provide athletic scholarships.
Can Division 2 athletes go pro?
You can go pro out of Division 2 schools, whether that is the NBA, D-League or Overseas.
Can D2 players go to the NFL?
This is the fifth season we've tracked DII football players in the NFL. It began in 2017, when 90 DII players made rosters across the league. In 2018, it went down to 83 players, while 2019 saw that number drop nearly in half to 49. DII players across the NFL went up to 54 in 2020.
Can D2 give full rides?
Can I get a full ride to a Division II school? It's possible but rare to get a full ride in Division II. All of its sports use the “equivalency” system of partial scholarships. For example, a women's gymnastics coach in Division II splits the value of 5.4 full rides among his or her 15 to 20 gymnasts.