Sterling College vs McPherson College

Sterling College and McPherson College, both esteemed private institutions in Kansas, offer distinct educational experiences. Sterling College, nestled in the quaint town of Sterling, boasts a tight-knit community with a focus on experiential learning and a 99% acceptance rate. McPherson College, located in the vibrant city of McPherson, prides itself on its strong liberal arts foundation, a 97% acceptance rate, and a diverse student body. While both colleges share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in their popular majors, with Sterling College excelling in business, education, and natural sciences, and McPherson College excelling in business, communication, and psychology. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details and discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	McPherson College	Sterling College
Overview
Location	McPherson, Kansas	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	4-1-4	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	66.0%	55.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation	Anabaptists

Admission
Acceptance rate	84.6%	47.4%
Application fees		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	884	2,574
Total number of admissions given out	748	1,220
Admitted students who chose to enroll	271	206
Yield rate	36.2%	16.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$50,234	$42,886
Average net price	$24,693	$22,377
Tuition	$31,396	$27,000
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $3,850 Meal plan: $5,082	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 $20,222	100.0% Average amount $18,158
Students receiving federal student loan	81.0% Average amount $5,328	70.0% Average amount $5,750
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $12,570	8.0% Average amount $11,649

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	830 Men 67.1% Women 32.9%	686 Men 59.0% Women 41.0%
Graduate students	12 Men 25.0% Women 75.0%	14 Men 14.3% Women 85.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	7.0%	5.3%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Rural: Distant
Dormitory capacity	662	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	Business Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Biological and Biomedical Sciences Education Health Professions	Health Professions Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Law Enforcement and Firefighting Education Business
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	52.6%	43.2%
Dropout rate	47.4%	25.2%
Transferred out	N/A	30.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,087 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,145 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,202 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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