Sterling College vs Bennington College

Sterling College and Bennington College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Sterling College, nestled in the picturesque town of Craftsbury Common, Vermont, boasts a tight-knit community and a focus on environmental stewardship. Bennington College, located in the vibrant town of Bennington, Vermont, prides itself on its progressive approach to education and its emphasis on the arts. With Sterling College's acceptance rate hovering around 70% and Bennington College's at 60%, both institutions offer a selective admissions process. While Sterling College's student body is predominantly female, Bennington College's is more evenly balanced between genders. Explore the comparison table below to delve into further details about these colleges, including popular majors, graduation rates, and other key factors, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.

	Bennington College	Sterling College
Overview
Location	Bennington, Vermont	Sterling, Kansas
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Rural: Distant
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	84.0%	55.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	66.9%	47.4%
Application fees	$85	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $25
SAT range	N/A	996 - 1166
ACT range	N/A	18 - 25
Students submitting SAT score		12.0%
Students submitting ACT score		33.0%
Total number of applicants	1,726	2,574
Total number of admissions given out	1,155	1,220
Admitted students who chose to enroll	249	206
Yield rate	21.6%	16.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$80,648	$42,886
Average net price	$35,569	$22,377
Tuition	$58,848	$27,000
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $9,350 Meal plan: $7,860	Room/dormitory: $3,516 Meal plan: $5,608
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	99.0% Average amount $43,739	100.0% Average amount $18,158
Students receiving federal student loan	60.0% Average amount $5,083	70.0% Average amount $5,750
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $33,561	8.0% Average amount $11,649

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	771 Men 35.5% Women 64.5%	686 Men 59.0% Women 41.0%
Graduate students	113 Men 20.4% Women 79.6%	14 Men 14.3% Women 85.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	15.5%	5.3%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Rural: Distant
Dormitory capacity	769	635
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Visual & Performing Arts Social Sciences Foreign Languages and Literatures English Language and Literature Public Administration and Social Service	Health Professions Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Law Enforcement and Firefighting Education Business
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	67.8%	43.2%
Dropout rate	7.5%	25.2%
Transferred out	24.8%	30.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	English Language and Literature/Letters, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $41,354 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $33,127 Visual and Performing Arts, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $14,867 Year 2: $17,950 Year 3: $15,066 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $21,964 Year 3: N/A Literature (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,202 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $15,302 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Music (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $21,599 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A	Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,167 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $34,697 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,026 Year 2: $36,745 Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A

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