# Sterling College (SC)

Private nonprofit college in Sterling, KS. IPEDS ID 155937.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/sterling-college · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/sterling-college.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 48% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $22,371 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 41%; beats 37% of KS colleges and 27% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $45,846; beats 15% of KS colleges and 28% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $12,000

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $19,068 |
| 30-48k | $19,236 |
| 48-75k | $21,975 |
| 75-110k | $23,525 |
| 110k+ | $26,602 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.37 years on average (19% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $45,846 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $34,216 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KS (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $19,068 | $83,327 | 7.2 years |
| 30-48k | $19,236 | $84,061 | 7.2 years |
| 48-75k | $21,975 | $96,031 | 8.3 years |
| 75-110k | $23,525 | $102,804 | 8.8 years |
| 110k+ | $26,602 | $116,251 | 10.0 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $47,185
- Tuition and fees: $33,700
- Housing and meals: $9,532; books: $1,240

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: not reported; SAT math: not reported; ACT: not reported (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 826 applicants, 438 admitted, 142 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 48%, ACT not reported (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 53%, ACT not reported (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (41 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $30,086 | $38,771 | $27,250 |
| Communications | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Journalism | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Broadcasting / Digital Media | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Public Relations and Advertising | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| English | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Writing | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Statistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Human Biology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Pastoral Counseling / Ministry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theology and Religious Vocations, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Psychology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Psychology (Research) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Psychology (Clinical / Counseling) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Criminal Justice | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Political Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Film and Photography | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Pre-Med / Pre-Health | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Business Administration | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Accounting | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Entrepreneurship | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Finance | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Human Resources | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Management Science / Analytics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Marketing | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Communications → Public relations specialist: median wage not reported (metro), $64,860 (KS), $74,750 (U.S.)
- Journalism → Reporter / journalist: median wage not reported (metro), $45,870 (KS), $62,200 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).