Water Polo Scholarships & Chances of playing in College

Odds of a High School Water Polo Player making a College Varsity Roster 2020:

College Water Polo Odds 2020:	Male	Female
Number of US High School Water Polo Players 2019-20	23,037	22,278
Number of College Water Polo Players (see table below)	1,741	1,961
% of US HS Water Polo Players competing at any College Level	7.1%	8.4%
% of US HS Water Polo Players Competing at NCAA I Schools	2.6%	3.3%
Odds of a US HS Water Polo Player making any College Roster	14:1	12:1
Odds of a US HS Water Polo Player making an NCAA I Roster	38:1	31:1

US Athlete Odds are adjusted for foreign student NCAA participation.
See Odds of playing Sports in College for more information.

122 Schools sponsored varsity Water Polo teams during 2019-20:

		# of teams		Total Athletes		Average team size		Scholarship limit		Average Scholarship *
Division	Schools	Men's	Women's	Men	Women	Men's	Women's	Men	Women	Men	Women
NCAA I	40	27	36	651	778	24	22	4.5	8	16,624	17,735
NCAA II	13	8	13	178	255	22	20	4.5	8	7,217	8,047
NCAA III	22	17	20	309	283	18	14	-	-	-	-
CCCAA	45	34	45	572	623	16	14	-	-	-	-
NAIA	2	2	2	31	22	16	11	-	-	7,191	6,984
Totals	122	88	116	1,741	1,961	20	17

Over 75% of high school Water Polo participants are from California, and nearly 70% of schools sponsoring water polo teams are also located in California. Water Polo is an NCAA equivalency sport, so partial scholarships can be awarded to meet the limit per school. For example, an NCAA I school can award 9 male players each a 1/2 scholarship and not exceed the limit of 4.5 per team. See our page on scholarship limits for more information.

* Avr Athletic Scholarship is the average annual amount of athletically related student aid per athlete for ALL varsity sports sponsored by the specific school. Some athletes receive full awards, some receive partial and many receive none. Additionally some sports within a school may be fully funded, some partially and some sports provide no athletic scholarships. Private schools generally have higher tuition than public schools and the average award will reflect this.

Do you have the skills to play College Water Polo?

What level of player are coaches looking for and who are you competing with for a roster spot? A good way to get an idea is to look at the high-school bios of players currently on the roster of schools that interest you. Our tables below have links to all 122 US College Water Polo team sites … search schools & see how you compare.

Water Polo - All Schools:

Schools with Varsity Water Polo teams 2020:	City / Main Campus	State	Division	Tea	ms	Avr Men's Scholarship	Avr Women's Scholarship	Avr SAT Math	Avr ACT Comp	Admission Rate	In-State Tuition	Out of State Tuition
Arizona State University	Tempe	AZ	NCAA I		W	25,171	19,937	625	26	85%	10,822	28,336
Ottawa University - Arizona	Surprise	AZ	NAIA	M	W	14,199	13,437	485	18	47%	27,630	27,630
American River College	Sacramento	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,104	8,712
Azusa Pacific University	Azusa	CA	NCAA II		W	12,162	14,916	560	24	69%	38,880	38,880
Biola University (2021-22)	La Mirada	CA	NCAA II	M	W	9,840	12,219	570	24	73%	40,488	40,488
Cabrillo College	Aptos	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,270	7,462
Cal State - East Bay	Hayward	CA	NCAA II		W	3,858	4,744			72%	6,983	18,863
Cal State - Monterey Bay	Seaside	CA	NCAA II		W	2,494	2,435	525	20	59%	7,143	19,023
Cal State - Northridge	Northridge	CA	NCAA I		W	8,807	10,075	510	19	51%	6,893	18,773
California Baptist University	Riverside	CA	NCAA I	M	W	19,495	25,381	535	22	80%	33,478	33,478
California Institute of Technology	Pasadena	CA	NCAA III	M	W			795	36	7%	52,362	52,362
California Lutheran University	Thousand Oaks	CA	NCAA III	M	W			575	24	71%	42,692	42,692
California Maritime Academy	Vallejo	CA	NAIA	M	W	184	530			67%	7,056	18,936
Cerritos College	Norwalk	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,346	8,710
Chaffey College	Rancho Cucamonga	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,172	7,604
Chapman University	Orange	CA	NCAA III	M	W			640	28	54%	52,724	52,724
Citrus College	Glendora	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,190	7,646
City College of San Francisco	San Francisco	CA	CCCAA		W						1,696	10,372
Claremont McKenna (CMS)	Claremont	CA	NCAA III	M	W			725	33	9%	54,405	54,405
College of Marin (2020-21)	Kentfield	CA	CCCAA		W						1,492	9,712
College of San Mateo	San Mateo	CA	CCCAA		W						1,344	6,300
Concordia University-Irvine	Irvine	CA	NCAA II	M	W	8,147	7,805	560	24	62%	35,400	35,400
Crafton Hills College	Yucaipa	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,144	8,104
Cuesta College	San Luis Obispo	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,338	8,702
Cypress College	Cypress	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,140	6,158
De Anza College	Cupertino	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,561	7,501
Diablo Valley College	Pleasant Hill	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,312	8,564
East Los Angeles College	Monterey Park	CA	CCCAA		W						1,220	7,746
El Camino College	Torrance	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,144	6,520
Foothill College	Los Altos Hills	CA	CCCAA		W						1,563	7,503
Fresno City College	Fresno	CA	CCCAA		W						1,304	7,496
Fresno Pacific University	Fresno	CA	NCAA II	M	W	9,288	11,030	519	20	85%	32,458	32,458
Fresno State	Fresno	CA	NCAA I		W	15,866	16,117	505	19	58%	6,587	18,467
Fullerton College	Fullerton	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,138	6,010
Golden West College	Huntington Beach	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,178	7,682
Grossmont College	El Cajon	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,386	7,196
Harvey Mudd College (CMS)	Claremont	CA	NCAA III	M	W			785	35	14%	56,620	56,620
Laney College	Oakland	CA	CCCAA		W						1,254	7,806
Las Positas College	Livermore	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,134	7,734
Long Beach City College	Long Beach	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,174	7,750
Long Beach State	Long Beach	CA	NCAA I	M	W	6,519	9,161	575	23	31%	6,798	18,678
Los Angeles Pierce College	Woodland Hills	CA	CCCAA		W						1,220	7,746
Los Angeles Valley College	Valley Glen	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,220	7,746
Loyola Marymount University	Los Angeles	CA	NCAA I	M	W	21,301	27,105	650	29	47%	48,522	48,522
Merced College	Merced	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,150	6,115
Modesto Junior College	Modesto	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,166	7,358
Mt San Antonio College	Walnut	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,350	9,414
Occidental College	Los Angeles	CA	NCAA III	M	W			685	30	37%	54,686	54,686
Ohlone College	Fremont	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,164	6,828
Orange Coast College	Costa Mesa	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,186	7,978
Palomar College	San Marcos	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,338	8,702
Pasadena City College	Pasadena	CA	CCCAA		W						1,166	7,548
Pepperdine University	Malibu	CA	NCAA I	M		26,223	32,046	670	29	36%	53,932	53,932
Pitzer College (Pomona-Pitzer)	Claremont	CA	NCAA III	M	W					13%	54,056	54,056
Pomona College (Pomona - Pitzer)	Claremont	CA	NCAA III	M	W			740	33	8%	52,780	52,780
Rio Hondo College	Whittier	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,360	6,624
Riverside City College	Riverside	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,420	9,160
Sacramento City College	Sacramento	CA	CCCAA		W						1,104	8,712
Saddleback College	Mission Viejo	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,328	9,392
San Diego Mesa College	San Diego	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,144	7,024
San Diego Miramar College	San Diego	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,144	7,024
San Diego State University	San Diego	CA	NCAA I		W	20,835	14,496	605	25	35%	7,488	19,340
San Joaquin Delta College	Stockton	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,288	8,848
San Jose State University	San Jose	CA	NCAA I	M	W	15,754	15,767	580	23	55%	7,796	19,676
Santa Barbara City College	Santa Barbara	CA	CCCAA		W						1,374	8,326
Santa Clara University	Santa Clara	CA	NCAA I	M	W	17,278	19,456	690	30	50%	51,711	51,711
Santa Monica College	Santa Monica	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,142	8,918
Scripps College (CMS)	Claremont	CA	NCAA III		W			690	32	24%	55,024	55,024
Sierra College	Rocklin	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,144	6,214
Sonoma State University * Dropped 2021	Rohnert Park	CA	NCAA II		W	2,674	3,179	535	21	90%	7,798	19,678
Southwestern College	Chula Vista	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,338	6,602
Stanford University	Palo Alto	CA	NCAA I	M	W	31,347	30,370	760	34	4%	51,354	51,354
University of California-Berkeley	Berkeley	CA	NCAA I	M	W	13,577	12,778	730	33	15%	14,184	43,176
University of California-Davis	Davis	CA	NCAA I	M	W	15,238	13,544	655	28	41%	14,402	43,394
University of California-Irvine	Irvine	CA	NCAA I	M	W	12,594	12,583	675	29	29%	13,700	42,692
University of California-Los Angeles	Los Angeles	CA	NCAA I	M	W	25,205	20,646	710	32	14%	13,226	42,218
University of California-San Diego	La Jolla	CA	NCAA II	M	W	2,677	2,353	705	30	30%	14,167	43,159
University of California-Santa Barbara	Santa Barbara	CA	NCAA I	M	W	10,622	14,228	685	30	32%	14,391	43,383
University of La Verne	La Verne	CA	NCAA III	M	W			558	23	51%	43,050	43,050
University of Redlands	Redlands	CA	NCAA III	M	W			575	26	75%	49,504	49,504
University of Southern California	Los Angeles	CA	NCAA I	M	W	32,872	33,366	740	32	13%	56,225	56,225
University of the Pacific	Stockton	CA	NCAA I	M	W	16,876	28,301	625	26	63%	48,164	48,164
Ventura College	Ventura	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,388	7,050
West Valley College	Saratoga	CA	CCCAA	M	W						1,463	5,243
Whittier College	Whittier	CA	NCAA III	M	W			555	23	76%	48,086	48,086
U.S. Air Force Academy	Colorado Springs	CO	NCAA I	M				670	31	11%	Full	Ride!
Connecticut College	New London	CT	NCAA III	M	W			680	31	38%	54,820	54,820
George Washington University	Washington	DC	NCAA I	M		20,749	27,570	690	31	42%	55,230	55,230
University of Hawaii at Manoa	Honolulu	HI	NCAA I		W	22,675	21,842	570	24	84%	11,970	34,002
Augustana College (2021-22)	Rock Island	IL	NCAA III	M	W					64%	42,135	42,135
McKendree University	Lebanon	IL	NCAA II	M	W	5,724	6,250	560	24	67%	30,520	30,520
Monmouth College	Monmouth	IL	NCAA III	M	W			535	24	69%	37,674	37,674
Indiana University	Bloomington	IN	NCAA I		W	24,494	21,347	630	28	77%	10,681	35,456
Harvard University	Cambridge	MA	NCAA I	M	W			770	34	5%	50,420	50,420
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Cambridge	MA	NCAA III	M				790	35	7%	51,832	51,832
Johns Hopkins University	Baltimore	MD	NCAA III	M				770	34	11%	53,740	53,740
Mount St Mary's University (2020-21)	Emmitsburg	MD	NCAA I	M	W	9,731	11,303	565	22	68%	41,350	41,350
U.S. Naval Academy	Annapolis	MD	NCAA I	M				640	29	9%	Full	Ride!
University of Michigan	Ann Arbor	MI	NCAA I		W	30,573	26,088	725	32	23%	15,262	49,350
Macalester College	Saint Paul	MN	NCAA III		W			715	31	41%	54,344	54,344
Princeton University	Princeton	NJ	NCAA I	M	W			765	34	5%	50,340	50,340
Fordham University	Bronx	NY	NCAA I	M		24,451	31,565	680	30	46%	52,687	52,687
Iona College	New Rochelle	NY	NCAA I	M	W	13,499	13,050	535	23	88%	38,812	38,812
Long Island University	Brooklyn	NY	NCAA I		W	19,761	20,151	575	24	76%	37,763	37,763
Marist College	Poughkeepsie	NY	NCAA I		W	7,578	12,700			46%	39,600	39,600
Siena College	Loudonville	NY	NCAA I		W	14,878	21,271			80%	36,975	36,975
St Francis College	Brooklyn Heights	NY	NCAA I	M	W	11,662	13,583			77%	26,188	26,188
Utica College	Utica	NY	NCAA III		W					84%	21,382	21,382
Wagner College	Staten Island	NY	NCAA I	M	W	17,144	19,758			70%	47,090	47,090
Urbana University (2020-21)	Urbana	OH	NCAA II		W	7,465	8,227	495	23	99%	23,700	23,700
Wittenberg University	Springfield	OH	NCAA III		W					74%	39,500	39,500
Bucknell University	Lewisburg	PA	NCAA I	M	W	18,128	22,498	680	30	33%	56,092	56,092
Gannon University	Erie	PA	NCAA II	M	W	8,925	6,817	560	23	81%	32,136	32,136
Grove City College	Grove City	PA	NCAA III		W			565	27	79%	17,930	17,930
La Salle University	Philadelphia	PA	NCAA I	M	W	10,247	11,453			81%	30,710	30,710
Mercyhurst University	Erie	PA	NCAA II	M	W	14,253	15,271			60%	37,170	37,170
Penn State - Erie-Behrend College	Erie	PA	NCAA III	M	W			595	25	89%	15,198	24,450
Saint Francis University	Loretto	PA	NCAA I		W	15,493	16,916	570	23	75%	36,410	36,410
Villanova University	Villanova	PA	NCAA I		W	22,853	19,304	710	32	29%	53,308	53,308
Washington & Jefferson College	Washington	PA	NCAA III	M	W					82%	47,964	47,964
Brown University	Providence	RI	NCAA I	M	W			755	34	8%	55,466	55,466
Austin College	Sherman	TX	NCAA III	M	W			610	25	55%	39,960	39,960
Virginia Military Institute	Lexington	VA	NCAA I		W	12,204	8,177	595	27	51%	18,862	45,706
Carthage College	Kenosha	WI	NCAA III		W			575	24	68%	43,550	43,550
Salem International University	Salem	WV	NCAA II	M	W	6,314	9,360				16,700	16,700