Alma College vs. Sterling College

Should I go to Alma College or Sterling College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Alma College or Sterling College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Alma College vs. Sterling College comparison
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Alma College Sterling College
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Overview

 Alma College Sterling College
Location Alma, MI Craftsbury Common, VT
Setting Distant Town Remote Rural
Enrollment 1,260 101
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website alma.edu sterlingcollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Alma College Sterling College
Tuition (In State) $45,346 $39,000
Tuition (Out of State) $45,346 $39,000
Room & Board $12,624 $10,400
Avg Net Price $23,995 $21,222
Avg Grant Aid $34,736 $31,078
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Alma College Sterling College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,372 28
Admitted 2,180 26
Acceptance Rate 64.7% 92.9%
Enrolled % 15.3% 38.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Alma College Sterling College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (48%)
  • Biology (33%)
  • Agriculture (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Alma College Sterling College
Graduation Rate 67% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $17,035
Median Loan Payment $279 $176

Diversity

 Alma College Sterling College
% Men 47% 41%
% Women 53% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 83%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 6%

Students

 Alma College Sterling College
% In-State 90% 22%
% Out-of-State 6% 78%

Campus

 Alma College Sterling College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Alma College is larger than than Sterling College based on total student enrollment (1,260 students vs. 101 students)

Alma College vs. Sterling College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alma College or Sterling College?

  • Alma College is 16.3% more expensive to attend than Sterling College for in-state tuition ($45,346.00 vs. $39,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.3% higher at Alma College than Sterling College ($45,346.00 vs. $39,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sterling College than Alma College ($21,222 vs. $23,995)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sterling College are 21.4% lower than costs at Alma College ($10,400 vs. $12,624)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Alma College as Sterling College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alma College students is 11.8% larger than aid received Sterling College ($34,736 vs. $31,078)

Alma College vs. Sterling College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Alma College or Sterling College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Sterling College or Alma College .

  • Accepted freshman Alma College students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Sterling College (3.1)
  • Sterling College has a higher acceptance rate (92.9%) than Alma College (64.7%)

Alma College vs. Sterling College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alma College or Sterling College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Sterling College and Alma College.

  • The graduation rate at Alma College is higher than Sterling College (67% vs. 50%)
  • Sterling College students graduate with a $9,965 lower median federal student loan debt than Alma College graduates. ($17,035 vs. $27,000)
  • Sterling College graduates are paying $103 less per month on federal student loans than Alma College graduates. ($176 vs. $279)
  • More Alma College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sterling College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/