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Sterling College
Sterling College admits a bit under 50% of applicants; strong grades put you in the conversation at Sterling College, and the data below says what "strong" means.
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Sterling College anchors the college town of Sterling, KS, where the private campus and town largely share a footprint. International students are a visible presence here — 11.3% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
37.1% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 538 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 50.3% of first-years come back for a second year.
The rest of this page puts figures to that sketch.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Sterling College received 826 applications and admitted 438 (53%), with 142 enrolling.
How Sterling College compares
| Sterling College | Kansas median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 48.2% | 80.2% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $33,700 | $33,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $45,846 | $52,113 | $53,781 |
At $45,846, ten-year earnings trail the state median ($52,113). Look at Sterling College's major-level rows below before reading too much into the campus-wide number.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $33,700 regardless of where you're from. At Sterling College, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
Enrollment sits at 538 — Sterling College is one of the smaller campuses on this site.
41.3% graduate within six years. Roughly 59% don't — ask a Sterling College tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sterling College's acceptance rate?
53% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 438 admitted from 826 applicants.
How much does Sterling College cost?
At Sterling College, published tuition is $33,700 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Sterling College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Sterling College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $45,846 ten years after enrolling.
Similar colleges in Kansas
- Friends University — 55.2% admitted
- Barclay College — 51% admitted
- Bethany College — 56% admitted
- Tabor College — 64.6% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.