Blackburn College vs. SC

Should I go to Blackburn College or Sterling College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Blackburn College 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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Blackburn College vs. Sterling College comparison
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Blackburn College
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Overview

 Blackburn College SC
Location Carlinville, IL Sterling, KS
Setting Rural Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 382 706
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu sterling.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Blackburn College SC
Tuition (In State) $26,055 $28,500
Tuition (Out of State) $26,055 $28,500
Room & Board $9,020 $9,336
Avg Net Price $21,575 $22,680
Avg Grant Aid $14,112 $19,729
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Blackburn College SC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 1,959
Admitted 504 1,197
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 61.1%
Enrolled % 21% 13.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.46
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/24 18/24
SAT Range 888/1125 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

 Blackburn College SC
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (8%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 Blackburn College SC
Graduation Rate 48% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $24,663
Median Loan Payment $268 $255

Diversity

 Blackburn College SC
% Men 44% 59%
% Women 56% 41%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 80% 68%
% Black 13% 11%
% Hispanic 2% 15%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 Blackburn College SC
% In-State 70% 37%
% Out-of-State 30% 53%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sterling College is larger than than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (706 students vs. 382 students)

Blackburn College vs. SC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or SC?

  • Sterling College is 9.4% more expensive to attend than Blackburn College for in-state tuition ($28,500.00 vs. $26,055.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.4% higher at SC than Blackburn College ($28,500.00 vs. $26,055.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Blackburn College than SC ($21,575 vs. $22,680)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 3.5% lower than costs at Sterling College ($9,020 vs. $9,336)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College as Sterling College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sterling College students is 39.8% larger than aid received Blackburn College ($19,729 vs. $14,112)

Blackburn College vs. SC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Blackburn College (1005) is 15 points higher than at SC (990)
  • Incoming Blackburn College students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at SC (22)
  • Accepted freshman SC students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at Blackburn College (3.23)
  • Blackburn College has a higher acceptance rate (64.4%) than SC (61.1%)

Blackburn College vs. SC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College 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 Blackburn College.

  • The graduation rate at Blackburn College is the same as at Sterling College (48% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Blackburn College earn on average $3,000 more per year than SC graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $37,400)
  • Sterling College students graduate with a $1,337 lower median federal student loan debt than Blackburn College graduates. ($24,663 vs. $26,000)
  • SC graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Blackburn College graduates. ($255 vs. $268)
  • More SC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blackburn College students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 58%)

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