Estimated 2026 Revenue Sharing – NCAA I Golf teams:
Football and Men’s basketball will account for close to 90% of revenue sharing payments at most Power 4 schools. The remaining 10% results in an average payout of around $ 5,187 per athlete in all other sports including golf:
Revenue Sharing Estimates
Power 4 Schools: 2025-26 *Operating
Revenue %
Allocation
to Team ($)
# of eligible
Athletes *Average per
Athlete ($)
Football 72.7% 14,910,614 105 142,006
Men's Basketball 15.1% 3,084,215 15 205,614
All Other Sports 12.2% 2,505,171 483
5,187
2025-26 Average 100% 20,500,000 603
* These estimates are based on 2025 team specific operating revenues as reported to the NCAA. In almost all cases, the maximum $ 20.5 million revenue sharing allocation will ultimately be reduced by the $ 2.5 million dollar for dollar offset for new scholarships. Eligible athletes are based on the new roster limits effective July 1, 2025.
These are averages, a few players may receive much more, while most will likely receive less. These estimates are for revenue sharing payments only (i.e. Institutional NIL), they do not include third-party NIL compensation. Most sports will likely receive no revenue sharing allocation, but will be eligible for greater scholarship awards.
Big potential increase in athletic scholarship awards for NCAA I Golfers:
While golfers will not receive substantial revenue sharing payments, most will be eligible for significantly higher athletic scholarship awards. As part of the House v NCAA settlement, scholarship limits have been removed, and roster limits have been established for each sport. For participating schools this would result in every player effectively being eligible for a full scholarship. For men’s golf, the athletic scholarship limit has been increased from 4.5 to 9, doubling the available scholarship money at most NCAA I schools:
2025 Scholarship Awards
Men's Golf Teams *Conference 2025
Roster # of Player
awards 2025Total Team ($)
Awards 2025 Average Player
Award 2025 ($)
Maximum Player
Award 2026 ($)
Roster
Limit **Out-of-State
Average Cost of
Attendance ($)
Appalachian State Sun Belt 12 9 100,003 11,111 32,108 9 43,766
Arizona Big 12 10 11 287,878 26,171 62,723 9 64,681
Arizona State Big 12 7 7 216,013 30,859 67,576 9 54,724
Arkansas SEC 10 9 222,064 24,674 50,376 9 51,292
Ball State MAC 10 10 134,172 13,417 39,029 9 44,228
Boise State Pac-12 9 8 160,929 20,116 44,202 9 21,650
Bowling Green MAC 8 9 92,000 10,222 36,359 9 39,657
California ACC 12 12 298,280 24,857 69,819 9 78,189
Central Florida Big 12 10 10 203,289 20,329 43,593 9 41,924
Central Michigan MAC 7 6 30,000 5,000 31,628 9 30,709
Charlotte American 11 11 117,763 10,706 31,532 9 41,522
Cincinnati Big 12 10 10 196,355 19,636 49,454 9 52,212
Clemson ACC 11 12 320,414 26,701 82,226 9 61,126
Colorado Big 12 10 10 289,155 28,916 65,905 9 64,778
Colorado State Pac-12 8 9 229,830 25,537 51,748 9 55,378
Connecticut Big East 12 9 164,032 18,226 48,203 9 64,478
Eastern Michigan MAC 10 8 166,825 20,853 40,538 9 35,804
Florida SEC 9 10 218,282 21,828 70,448 9 45,808
Florida State ACC 10 10 159,564 15,956 39,706 9 39,830
Fresno State Pac-12 8 8 124,179 15,522 31,120 9 43,274
Georgia SEC 9 9 188,426 20,936 52,351 9 50,050
Georgia Southern Sun Belt 10 9 146,136 16,237 44,971 9 42,668
Georgia State Sun Belt 10 9 136,281 15,142 43,044 9 53,360
Hawaii MW 9 9 152,828 16,981 46,404 9 56,622
Houston Big 12 12 11 196,913 17,901 40,842 9 52,907
Illinois Big Ten 10 7 214,574 30,653 48,881 9 38,128
Indiana Big Ten 10 10 225,806 22,581 58,399 9 60,348
Iowa Big Ten 10 9 216,621 24,069 48,734 9 51,329
Iowa State Big 12 8 8 210,143 26,268 42,054 9 43,219
James Madison Sun Belt 10 9 214,275 23,808 45,615 9 50,630
Kansas Big 12 12 12 244,002 20,334 50,420 9 47,882
Kansas State Big 12 12 11 178,315 16,210 39,973 9 44,903
Kennesaw State CUSA 9 9 119,621 13,291 34,470 9 43,648
Kent State MAC 12 12 195,664 16,305 38,335 9 41,126
Louisiana Lafayette Sun Belt 10 10 170,569 17,057 40,072 9 45,751
LSU SEC 11 10 163,896 16,390 45,797 9 54,118
Marshall Sun Belt 12 8 116,570 14,571 30,332 9 38,934
Maryland Big Ten 8 8 288,888 36,111 65,294 9 66,762
Miami of Ohio MAC 11 11 253,963 23,088 50,811 9 64,426
Michigan Big Ten 10 10 384,811 38,481 86,131 9 82,277
Michigan State Big Ten 9 8 244,757 30,595 64,830 9 65,563
Minnesota Big Ten 10 10 262,922 26,292 51,913 9 57,074
Mississippi SEC 9 9 203,651 22,628 55,220 9 47,267
Mississippi State SEC 12 12 250,406 20,867 53,993 9 47,748
Missouri State CUSA 7 7 129,086 18,441 32,353 9 36,642
Nebraska Big Ten 12 12 232,976 19,415 44,411 9 47,968
Nevada MW 8 7 189,696 27,099 49,244 9 48,512
New Mexico MW 10 10 188,985 18,899 50,539 9 50,843
New Mexico State CUSA 14 9 205,438 22,826 39,619 9 44,898
North Carolina ACC 10 9 217,820 24,202 45,931 9 60,040
North Carolina State ACC 11 11 200,115 18,192 44,314 9 51,635
North Dakota State Summit League 9 9 122,458 13,606 29,892 9 29,416
North Texas American 11 9 109,289 12,143 29,869 9 41,452
Northern Illinois Horizon League 9 9 162,775 18,086 33,988 9 41,057
Ohio MAC 10 8 166,448 20,806 41,249 9 42,884
Ohio State Big Ten 10 9 198,405 22,045 60,509 9 59,528
Oklahoma SEC 13 12 271,026 22,586 60,504 9 61,770
Oklahoma State Big 12 11 11 143,772 13,070 39,353 9 47,320
Oregon Big Ten 13 13 272,671 20,975 65,586 9 66,531
Oregon State Pac-12 7 8 190,717 23,840 46,740 9 59,135
Penn State Big Ten 9 8 270,852 33,857 63,133 9 62,884
Purdue Big Ten 10 10 218,817 21,882 50,795 9 47,044
Rutgers Big Ten 9 8 286,249 35,781 71,187 9 59,000
Sam Houston State CUSA 9 8 112,442 14,055 31,587 9 40,576
San Diego State Pac-12 13 10 186,264 18,626 44,937 9 47,704
South Florida American 11 11 155,604 14,146 38,375 9 37,460
Southern Miss Sun Belt 12 10 104,446 10,445 31,345 9 27,180
Tennessee SEC 10 10 435,093 43,509 92,131 9 55,920
Texas SEC 9 9 198,482 22,054 49,964 9 66,681
Texas State Pac-12 10 7 250,434 35,776 37,058 9 42,200
Texas Tech Big 12 10 10 165,871 16,587 33,528 9 41,865
Toledo MAC 9 5 186,869 37,374 44,058 9 41,747
UCLA Big Ten 11 10 310,001 31,000 62,537 9 81,851
Utah Big 12 9 8 293,274 36,659 60,192 9 61,640
Utah State Pac-12 9 9 166,162 18,462 33,560 9 40,210
UTEP MW 10 8 202,270 25,284 40,479 9 37,226
UTSA American 8 8 123,635 15,454 34,328 9 45,598
Virginia ACC 10 10 293,288 29,329 75,988 9 84,446
Washington Big Ten 9 9 299,282 33,254 69,130 9 63,806
Washington State Pac-12 8 9 221,690 24,632 55,210 9 51,910
West Virginia Big 12 11 11 221,996 20,181 52,200 9 47,967
Western Kentucky CUSA 10 11 92,069 8,370 33,683 9 44,015
Wisconsin Big Ten 10 9 276,514 30,724 63,378 9 63,268
Wyoming MW 8 8 169,302 21,163 42,337 9 42,888
Average - 84 teams * 10 9 201,829 21,813 48,719 9 50,553
For Women’s golf, the athletic scholarship limit has been increased from 6 to 9, resulting in a 50% increase in available scholarship money at most NCAA I schools:
2025 Scholarship Awards
Women's Golf Teams *Conference 2025
Roster # of Player
awards 2025Total Team ($)
Awards 2025 Average Player
Award 2025 ($)
Maximum Player
Award 2026 ($)
Roster
Limit **Out-of-State
Average Cost of
Attendance ($)
Akron MAC 7 7 188,021 26,860 35,268 9 38,126
Appalachian State Sun Belt 6 4 61,257 15,314 32,108 9 43,766
Arizona Big 12 8 7 365,858 52,265 62,723 9 64,681
Arizona State Big 12 5 5 219,375 43,875 67,576 9 54,724
Arkansas SEC 9 9 299,980 33,331 50,376 9 51,292
Ball State MAC 9 9 259,212 28,801 39,029 9 44,228
Boise State Pac-12 9 9 258,552 28,728 44,202 9 21,650
Bowling Green MAC 9 8 180,830 22,604 36,359 9 39,657
California ACC 10 10 540,440 54,044 69,819 9 78,189
Central Florida Big 12 7 7 268,359 38,337 43,593 9 41,924
Central Michigan MAC 8 8 157,640 19,705 31,628 9 30,709
Charlotte American 7 6 137,932 22,989 31,532 9 41,522
Cincinnati Big 12 7 6 415,735 69,289 49,454 9 52,212
Clemson ACC 9 9 338,004 37,556 82,226 9 61,126
Colorado Big 12 7 7 399,654 57,093 65,905 9 64,778
Colorado State Pac-12 8 8 286,928 35,866 51,748 9 55,378
Eastern Michigan MAC 10 9 265,054 29,450 40,538 9 35,804
Florida SEC 10 10 278,160 27,816 70,448 9 45,808
Florida State ACC 12 10 250,062 25,006 39,706 9 39,830
Fresno State Pac-12 7 7 188,272 26,896 31,120 9 43,274
Georgia SEC 9 10 243,014 24,301 52,351 9 50,050
Georgia Southern Sun Belt 9 8 196,904 24,613 44,971 9 42,668
Georgia State Sun Belt 7 7 126,107 18,015 43,044 9 53,360
Hawaii MW 11 11 261,036 23,731 46,404 9 56,622
Houston Big 12 10 10 231,332 23,133 40,842 9 52,907
Illinois Big Ten 12 6 275,167 45,861 48,881 9 38,128
Indiana Big Ten 8 8 359,975 44,997 58,399 9 60,348
Iowa Big Ten 8 7 278,695 39,814 48,734 9 51,329
Iowa State Big 12 6 6 293,540 48,923 42,054 9 43,219
James Madison Sun Belt 8 8 249,382 31,173 45,615 9 50,630
Kansas Big 12 10 10 334,249 33,425 50,420 9 47,882
Kansas State Big 12 7 8 319,535 39,942 39,973 9 44,903
Kennesaw State CUSA 7 7 167,008 23,858 34,470 9 43,648
Kent State MAC 9 8 261,866 32,733 38,335 9 41,126
LSU SEC 8 9 233,211 25,912 45,797 9 54,118
Marshall Sun Belt 8 7 149,915 21,416 30,332 9 38,934
Maryland Big Ten 9 8 506,146 63,268 65,294 9 66,762
Michigan Big Ten 9 7 558,853 79,836 86,131 9 82,277
Michigan State Big Ten 10 9 423,727 47,081 64,830 9 65,563
Minnesota Big Ten 8 8 353,926 44,241 51,913 9 57,074
Mississippi SEC 7 7 287,216 41,031 55,220 9 47,267
Mississippi State SEC 7 7 304,925 43,561 53,993 9 47,748
Missouri State CUSA 10 10 217,637 21,764 32,353 9 36,642
Nebraska Big Ten 12 9 288,132 32,015 44,411 9 47,968
Nevada MW 8 8 271,998 34,000 49,244 9 48,512
New Mexico MW 9 9 224,110 24,901 50,539 9 50,843
New Mexico State CUSA 8 6 186,233 31,039 39,619 9 44,898
North Carolina ACC 9 9 238,297 26,477 45,931 9 60,040
North Carolina State ACC 8 6 179,454 29,909 44,314 9 51,635
North Dakota State Summit League 9 9 157,044 17,449 29,892 9 29,416
North Texas American 9 7 149,242 21,320 29,869 9 41,452
Northern Illinois Horizon League 8 7 209,655 29,951 33,988 9 41,057
Ohio MAC 9 10 221,847 22,185 41,249 9 42,884
Ohio State Big Ten 7 7 360,980 51,569 60,509 9 59,528
Oklahoma SEC 9 9 341,813 37,979 60,504 9 61,770
Oklahoma State Big 12 11 11 258,869 23,534 39,353 9 47,320
Oregon Big Ten 9 7 392,878 56,125 65,586 9 66,531
Oregon State Pac-12 6 6 249,774 41,629 46,740 9 59,135
Penn State Big Ten 8 7 357,809 51,116 63,133 9 62,884
Purdue Big Ten 11 9 253,689 28,188 50,795 9 47,044
Rutgers Big Ten 8 8 411,267 51,408 71,187 9 59,000
Sam Houston State CUSA 6 6 119,991 19,999 31,587 9 40,576
San Diego State Pac-12 8 7 292,588 41,798 44,937 9 47,704
South Florida American 8 8 239,460 29,933 38,375 9 37,460
Southern Miss Sun Belt 8 8 165,407 20,676 31,345 9 27,180
Tennessee SEC 8 9 432,539 48,060 92,131 9 55,920
Texas SEC 9 8 210,897 26,362 49,964 9 66,681
Texas State Pac-12 9 7 259,434 37,062 37,058 9 42,200
Texas Tech Big 12 10 9 239,153 26,573 33,528 9 41,865
Toledo MAC 6 6 204,253 34,042 44,058 9 41,747
UCLA Big Ten 10 10 341,279 34,128 62,537 9 81,851
UTEP MW 8 8 260,985 32,623 40,479 9 37,226
UTSA American 10 6 171,194 28,532 34,328 9 45,598
Virginia ACC 9 8 425,057 53,132 75,988 9 84,446
Washington Big Ten 9 8 372,232 46,529 69,130 9 63,806
Washington State Pac-12 7 7 251,872 35,982 55,210 9 51,910
Western Kentucky CUSA 9 9 160,136 17,793 33,683 9 44,015
Western Michigan MAC 9 9 192,200 21,356 33,199 9 35,765
Wisconsin Big Ten 9 9 338,237 37,582 63,378 9 63,268
Wyoming MW 11 11 220,363 20,033 42,337 9 42,888
Average - 81 teams * 9 8 268,089 34,191 48,012 9 49,821
* These averages are for NCAA I public Universities for which we have compiled data from available reporting.
** Roster limits are not mandatory. However, schools opting not to be subject to roster limits must adhere to the prior (lower) scholarship limits. Participating schools must submit certified rosters to the College Sports Commission.
These are potential increases as athletic scholarship awards are optional. Schools can fully fund a sport, or award less than the maximum allowed. However, schools will be pressured to fully fund their sports for both competitive and equity considerations. Scholarships remain one of the primary recruiting tools, and programs offering less than the maximum awards allowed will likely be at a recruiting disadvantage to competitors who are fully funding their teams.
Additionally, one of the objectives of the new NCAA model is to provide enhanced monetary awards for those student-athletes in limited revenue sports. While Football and Men’s basketball will receive close to 90% of revenue sharing payments at most FBS schools, conversely, about 90% of the new potential scholarship awards will go to athletes in Women’s and Men’s sports other than football and basketball.
Number of US Golf teams:
NCAA I teams represent about 26% of all US golf teams. There are also many opportunities to play college golf at schools in other divisions and athletic associations:
Intercollegiate Golf
Programs 2025-26Total
MembersMen's
TeamsWomen's
Teams
NCAA I 365 312 285
NCAA II 299 204 191
NCAA III 429 290 247
NAIA 226 175 168
NJCAA 433 172 107
CCCAA 104 28 23
Other Associations 136 40 31
Totals 1,992 1,221 1,052
Questions on our data? Contact us at: NIL-NCAA.com
Statistics compiled & edited by Patrick O’Rourke, CPA Washington, DC 
