Berklee School of Music vs. Sterling College

Comparable Facts

Compare Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA with Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, VT on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

Berklee College of Music is larger than Sterling College based on total student enrollment (8,369 students vs. 57 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Berklee College of Music is located in Boston, MA (Large City setting); Sterling College is in Craftsbury Common, VT (Remote Rural setting).
• Berklee College of Music is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Sterling College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Berklee College of Music 9:1; Sterling College 7:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sterling College are 45.1% lower than at Berklee College of Music ($10,950 vs. $19,930).
• Out-of-state tuition is 27.7% higher at Berklee School of Music than at Sterling College (about $11,280 more per year; $52,040 vs. $40,760).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sterling College than at Berklee College of Music (100% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sterling College students is 39.5% larger than aid received by Berklee College of Music students ($32,556 vs. $23,346).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both Berklee School of Music and Sterling College.
• Typical fall application deadline: Berklee School of Music Jan 15, 2027.
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 45.5% at Berklee School of Music vs. 10.9% at Sterling College.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sterling College graduates have a $8,215 lower median loan debt than Berklee School of Music graduates ($17,035 vs. $25,250).
• Among borrowers, Sterling College graduates have an estimated $85 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Berklee School of Music graduates ($176 vs. $261).
• More Sterling College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Berklee School of Music students, three years after graduation (74% vs. 66%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.