Levels · 5 min read
Division I is not the only good answer
There are four four-year levels and two governing bodies. Sorting them by prestige is how families end up with a list of nine schools that will never reply.
The shape of it
We score 2,215 four-year programs in 113 conferences across 49 states and DC. Division I is a minority of them. A family whose list is nine Division I schools has not built a list; they have written down the nine names they already knew.
NAIA is a separate organization, not a lower division
The NAIA is its own governing body with its own eligibility rules, its own championships and its own recruiting calendar. It is not 'below D3' on some single ladder — it is a different ladder. For many players it is also the most realistic route to actually being on the field, which is the point of playing.
What changed in 2025
Division I scholarship limits in soccer were replaced by roster limits in July 2025, which materially changed how squads are built and how many players a program carries. If you are reading recruiting advice written before that, some of its arithmetic no longer applies — which is a good reason to check the date on anything you read, including this.
Sources
Figures attributed to Startline are counted from the data we hold and update when it does. Recruiting rules change — check anything dated against the governing body itself.
Compare a D1 and a D3 fit side by side
The same player, scored against both.
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