ATU vs. SC

Should I go to Arkansas Tech University or Sterling College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ATU or SC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Arkansas Tech University vs. Sterling College comparison
Arkansas Tech University Sterling College College 3 College 4
Arkansas Tech University
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Overview

ATU SC
Location Russellville, AR Sterling, KS
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 9,445 706
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #927
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website atu.edu sterling.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ATU SC
Tuition (In State) $5,820 $28,500
Tuition (Out of State) $11,640 $28,500
Room & Board $9,157 $9,336
Avg Net Price $12,016 $22,680
Avg Grant Aid $8,440 $19,729
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

ATU SC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,762 1,959
Admitted 5,439 1,197
Acceptance Rate 94.4% 61.1%
Enrolled % 26.7% 13.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.46
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 18/24
SAT Range 990/1180 938/1123
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 17, 2025

Academics

ATU SC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (8%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (6%)

Outcomes

ATU SC
Graduation Rate 43% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $24,663
Median Loan Payment $183 $255

Diversity

ATU SC
% Men 42% 59%
% Women 58% 41%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 68%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 15%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

ATU SC
% In-State 94% 37%
% Out-of-State 5% 53%

Campus

ATU SC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arkansas Tech University is larger than than SC based on total student enrollment (9,445 students vs. 706 students)

ATU vs. SC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ATU or SC?

  • Sterling College is 389.7% more expensive to attend than ATU for in-state tuition ($28,500.00 vs. $5,820.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 144.8% higher at SC than Arkansas Tech University ($28,500.00 vs. $11,640.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arkansas Tech University than SC ($12,016 vs. $22,680)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arkansas Tech University are 2% lower than costs at Sterling College ($9,157 vs. $9,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sterling College than Arkansas Tech University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sterling College students is 133.8% larger than aid received Arkansas Tech University ($19,729 vs. $8,440)

ATU vs. SC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ATU or SC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SC or ATU .

  • Accepted freshman SC students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at ATU (3.37)
  • ATU has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than SC (61.1%)

ATU vs. SC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ATU or SC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SC and ATU.

  • The graduation rate at SC is higher than Arkansas Tech University (48% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Sterling College earn on average $300 more per year than ATU graduates after ten years. ($37,400 vs. $37,100)
  • Arkansas Tech University students graduate with a $6,913 lower median federal student loan debt than SC graduates. ($17,750 vs. $24,663)
  • ATU graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than SC graduates. ($183 vs. $255)
  • More SC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ATU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 51%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/