Which sports offer the most scholarships for college athletes?

I'm considering trying to get a sports scholarship for college, but I'm not sure which sports have the most scholarship opportunities. Does anyone know which sports typically offer the most scholarships?

While the majority of NCAA sports offer scholarships, there are some sports that are more likely to offer scholarships than others. A few factors influence the number of scholarships a sport can offer: how the NCAA classifies the sport (head-count or equivalency), the sport's popularity, and the revenue it brings in for the school.

For women's sports, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and gymnastics are head-count sports. This means they can offer a certain number of full-ride scholarships and these can't be divided among athletes. Football is a head-count sport for men, which typically offers the most athletic scholarships overall due to the size of the teams.

In contrast, equivalency sports like baseball, soccer, and track and field for both men and women can offer a certain number of overall scholarships, which can be divided among the athletes as partial scholarships. This increases the number of student-athletes that can receive some scholarship money, but also means full-rides are less common.

So in terms of sheer numbers, sports like football for men and basketball for women likely offer the most scholarships. But remember, getting an athletic scholarship is about more than just choosing a sport with many scholarships. It also comes down to your skill level, drive, dedication, and the match with the specific schools and teams you're interested in. So, ensuring your abilities align with the sport you are committing to is a good first step.