What’s the difference between NAIA and NCAA DII? This is a commonly asked question by institutions trying to determine the best athletic affiliation for their school. 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. 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.
NAIA Institutions
| NAIA Institutions | Enrollment | Student-Athletes | Operating Budget | Total Budget |
| 75th percentile | 1,566 | 397 | $2.3 MM | $5.2 MM |
| Median (50th) | 1,013 | 273 | $1.6 MM | $3.2 MM |
| 25th percentile | 676 | 158 | $1.0 MM | $1.8 MM |
NCAA DII Institutions
| NCAA DII Institutions | Enrollment | Student-Athletes | Operating Budget | Total Budget |
| 75th percentile | 4,670 | 489 | $4.8 MM | $7.4 MM |
| Median (50th) | 2,436 | 359 | $3.4 MM | $5.5 MM |
| 25th percentile | 1,446 | 263 | $2.5 MM | $4.1 MM |
Source of the data includes EADA, IPEDs, The Chronicle of Higher Education.