Northland College vs Sterling College

Northland College and Sterling College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer unique educational experiences. Northland, nestled in the scenic Northwoods of Wisconsin, boasts a 98% acceptance rate, while Sterling, located in the vibrant city of Craftsbury Common, Vermont, maintains a more selective admissions process with a 75% acceptance rate. Northland's student body is predominantly female (62%), while Sterling's is more evenly balanced (52% female, 48% male). Both colleges offer a diverse range of majors, with Northland excelling in Environmental Studies and Sterling excelling in Sustainable Agriculture. With graduation rates of 65% and 70% respectively, both institutions are committed to student success. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more distinctions and determine which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Northland College logo

Northland College

Sterling College logo

Sterling College

Overview

Location Ashland, Wisconsin Craftsbury Common, Vermont
Campus setting Town: Remote Rural: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 73.0% 93.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 57.7% 100.0%
Application fees $35
SAT range 1010 - 1160 N/A
ACT range 20 - 27 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 17.0%
Students submitting ACT score 50.0%
Total number of applicants 1,436 41
Total number of admissions given out 828 41
Admitted students who chose to enroll 124 17
Yield rate 15.0% 41.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $53,032 $52,800
Average net price $22,994 $15,350
Tuition $38,376 $39,000
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,470

Meal plan: $6,104
Room/dormitory: $5,000

Meal plan: $5,400
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $28,740
100.0%
Average amount $36,950
Students receiving federal student loan 69.0%
Average amount $5,173
60.0%
Average amount $5,246
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $13,657
7.0%
Average amount $7,500

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 531
Men 46.9% Women 53.1%
126
Men 47.6% Women 52.4%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 67.5% N/A
International students 6.8% 1.6%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Rural: Remote
Dormitory capacity 500 139
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Wisconsin Minnesota Illinois Michigan Texas N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Physical Science
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Business
  • Agriculture
  • Liberal Arts
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 7:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 58.3% 36.0%
Dropout rate 25.2% 48.0%
Transferred out 16.5% 12.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,122
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Natural Resources and Conservation, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,937
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,854
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,129
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
N/A

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