Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Sterling College

Should I go to Gustavus Adolphus College or Sterling College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Gustavus Adolphus College or Sterling College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Sterling College comparison
Gustavus Adolphus College Sterling College College 3 College 4
Gustavus Adolphus College Sterling College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Gustavus Adolphus College Sterling College
Location Saint Peter, MN Craftsbury Common, VT
Setting Remote Town Remote Rural
Enrollment 2,072 101
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gustavus.edu sterlingcollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Gustavus Adolphus College Sterling College
Tuition (In State) $52,490 $39,000
Tuition (Out of State) $52,490 $39,000
Room & Board $11,010 $10,400
Avg Net Price $30,297 $21,222
Avg Grant Aid $32,808 $31,078
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 100%

Admission

Gustavus Adolphus College Sterling College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,781 28
Admitted 2,794 26
Acceptance Rate 73.9% 92.9%
Enrolled % 16.6% 38.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Gustavus Adolphus College Sterling College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (48%)
  • Biology (33%)
  • Agriculture (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Gustavus Adolphus College Sterling College
Graduation Rate 82% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $17,035
Median Loan Payment $279 $176

Diversity

Gustavus Adolphus College Sterling College
% Men 45% 41%
% Women 55% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 83%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 6%

Students

Gustavus Adolphus College Sterling College
% In-State 79% 22%
% Out-of-State 15% 78%

Campus

Gustavus Adolphus College Sterling College
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

  • Gustavus Adolphus College is larger than than Sterling College based on total student enrollment (2,072 students vs. 101 students)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Sterling College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gustavus Adolphus College or Sterling College?

  • Gustavus Adolphus College is 34.6% more expensive to attend than Sterling College for in-state tuition ($52,490.00 vs. $39,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.6% higher at Gustavus Adolphus College than Sterling College ($52,490.00 vs. $39,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sterling College than Gustavus Adolphus College ($21,222 vs. $30,297)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sterling College are 5.9% lower than costs at Gustavus Adolphus College ($10,400 vs. $11,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sterling College than Gustavus Adolphus College (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gustavus Adolphus College students is 5.6% larger than aid received Sterling College ($32,808 vs. $31,078)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Sterling College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Gustavus Adolphus College students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Sterling College (3.1)
  • Sterling College has a higher acceptance rate (92.9%) than Gustavus Adolphus College (73.9%)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Sterling College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gustavus Adolphus College or Sterling College? 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 Sterling College and Gustavus Adolphus College.

  • The graduation rate at Gustavus Adolphus College is higher than Sterling College (82% vs. 50%)
  • Sterling College students graduate with a $9,965 lower median federal student loan debt than Gustavus Adolphus College graduates. ($17,035 vs. $27,000)
  • Sterling College graduates are paying $103 less per month on federal student loans than Gustavus Adolphus College graduates. ($176 vs. $279)
  • More Gustavus Adolphus College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sterling College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 74%)

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