Sterling College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Sterling, Kansas. It enrolls 538 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
51/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes12
Value22
Affordability50
Selectivity57
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 48.2%, Sterling College is a selective institution.
Acceptance Rate
48.2%
Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Sterling College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
13.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Sterling College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $22,371 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$22,371
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
37%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
49%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$33,700
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,586
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,241
Books & Supplies
$1,382
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,500
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,500
Total Cost of Attendance
$47,185
Application fee: $25 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$19,068
$30,001 – $48,000
$19,236
$48,001 – $75,000
$21,975
$75,001 – $110,000
$23,525
Over $110,000
$26,602
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,17410%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$24,625Medianpercentile
$25,00075%percentile
$32,40090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,000
↓ $12,625
No Pell $12,000
↓ $12,625
Dependent students $13,000
↓ $11,625
Independent students $9,344
↓ $15,281
Female students $14,000
↓ $10,625
Male students $11,375
↓ $13,250
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,000, less than completers ($24,625), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
48% of full-time students who enrolled at Sterling College graduate within six years, and 55% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
48%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
55%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Sterling College earn a median of $45,846 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$45,846
Earning > $25K
74%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$29,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$47,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$43,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $17,600, about 37% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
10.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 83% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Sterling College is home to 538 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 34% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
538
Part-Time
9%
First-Generation
34%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 52.0%280
Hispanic 17.5%94
International 11.3%61
Black 9.7%52
Other 6.5%35
Asian 0.6%3
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Sterling College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: RemoteSterling, Kansas
Housing
Strongly residential635 beds for 538 students
Adult Learners
11%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Sterling College offers
a varied set of programs:
27 distinct programs across
14 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Sterling College is 9:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
9:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$33M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$45,775
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
46 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
4
9%
$52,575
Associate Professors
9
20%
$46,511
Assistant Professors
32
70%
$44,990
Instructors
1
2%
$37,082
Pros & Cons of Sterling College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Sterling College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
Best for:
Based on the data, Sterling College is a fit for
students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sterling College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Sterling College.
Is Sterling College hard to get into?
Sterling College is selective but not extremely competitive. Its acceptance rate is 48.2%. Strong academic credentials and a thoughtful application materially improve your odds.
What is the acceptance rate at Sterling College?
Sterling College has an acceptance rate of 48.2%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Sterling College cost?
The average net price after aid at Sterling College is $22,371 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Sterling College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $45,846 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $22,371 per year. That's roughly 2.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Sterling College known for?
Sterling College is best known for its programs in Kinesiology, Criminal Justice, Business & Management, Other. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Sterling College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Sterling College are $45,846, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Sterling College accredited?
Yes. Sterling College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Sterling College?
Sterling College enrolls 538 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Sterling College?
Sterling College graduates 48% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Sterling College a public or private college?
Sterling College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Sterling College located?
Sterling College is located in Sterling, Kansas.
What programs does Sterling College offer?
Sterling College offers 27 distinct programs. The most popular include Kinesiology, Criminal Justice, Business & Management, Other.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Sterling College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Sterling College is 9:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Kansas
Other colleges in Kansas share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
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For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
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Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
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