Sterling College vs Grinnell College

Sterling College and Grinnell College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Sterling, nestled in the picturesque town of Craftsbury Common, Vermont, boasts a tight-knit community and an acceptance rate of 80%, making it a more accessible option. Grinnell, located in the vibrant city of Grinnell, Iowa, is known for its rigorous academics and selective admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 20%. While Sterling's student body is predominantly white, Grinnell's is more diverse, reflecting its commitment to inclusivity. Both colleges excel in preparing students for postgraduate success, with Sterling's 90% graduation rate and Grinnell's 88% graduation rate. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two exceptional institutions. Dive in to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Grinnell College	Sterling College
Overview
Location	Grinnell, Iowa	Sterling, Kansas
Campus setting	Town: Remote	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	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	93.0%	55.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	10.5%	47.4%
Application fees		Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $25
SAT range	1370 - 1530	996 - 1166
ACT range	30 - 34	18 - 25
Students submitting SAT score	29.0%	12.0%
Students submitting ACT score	33.0%	33.0%
Total number of applicants	10,513	2,574
Total number of admissions given out	1,108	1,220
Admitted students who chose to enroll	471	206
Yield rate	42.5%	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	$76,098	$42,886
Average net price	$37,423	$22,377
Tuition	$58,156	$27,000
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,779 Meal plan: $7,572	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)	100.0% Average amount $35,821	100.0% Average amount $18,158
Students receiving federal student loan	36.0% Average amount $3,952	70.0% Average amount $5,750
Students taking out private loans	12.0% Average amount $5,903	8.0% Average amount $11,649

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,748 Men 47.5% Women 52.5%	686 Men 59.0% Women 41.0%
Graduate students	N/A	14 Men 14.3% Women 85.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	91.5%	N/A
International students	19.4%	5.3%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Rural: Distant
Dormitory capacity	1,450	635
First year students are required to live on campus?	Yes	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Illinois Iowa Minnesota Texas	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Social Sciences Foreign Languages and Literatures Physical Science Visual & Performing Arts Computer and Information Science	Health Professions Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Law Enforcement and Firefighting Education Business
Students to faculty ratio	9:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	86.9%	43.2%
Dropout rate	12.9%	25.2%
Transferred out	N/A	30.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,661 Year 2: $52,941 Year 3: $55,487 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,893 Year 2: $34,704 Year 3: $49,481 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,499 Year 2: $29,141 Year 3: $41,882 Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,517 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $40,572 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $26,353 Year 3: $37,882 Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $21,508 Year 3: $37,613 Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,718 Year 2: $19,227 Year 3: $29,237 Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $20,140 Year 3: $28,680 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,658 Year 2: $91,744 Year 3: N/A Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,239 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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