McPherson College vs. SC

Should I go to McPherson College or Sterling College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if McPherson 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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McPherson College vs. Sterling College comparison
McPherson College Sterling College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 McPherson College SC
Location McPherson, KS Sterling, KS
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 822 706
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcpherson.edu sterling.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 McPherson College SC
Tuition (In State) $32,494 $28,500
Tuition (Out of State) $32,494 $28,500
Room & Board $9,918 $9,336
Avg Net Price $25,065 $22,680
Avg Grant Aid $21,916 $19,729
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 McPherson College SC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,445 1,959
Admitted 952 1,197
Acceptance Rate 65.9% 61.1%
Enrolled % 26.3% 13.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.46
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/23 18/24
SAT Range 908/1120 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 1, 2025 Aug 17, 2025

Academics

 McPherson College SC
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (8%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 McPherson College SC
Graduation Rate 46% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,200 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $24,663
Median Loan Payment $268 $255

Diversity

 McPherson College SC
% Men 67% 59%
% Women 33% 41%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 68%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 12% 15%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

 McPherson College SC
% In-State 31% 37%
% Out-of-State 62% 53%

Campus

 McPherson College 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

  • McPherson College is larger than than SC based on total student enrollment (822 students vs. 706 students)

McPherson College vs. SC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, McPherson College or SC?

  • McPherson College is 14% more expensive to attend than SC for in-state tuition ($32,494.00 vs. $28,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14% higher at McPherson College than Sterling College ($32,494.00 vs. $28,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sterling College than McPherson College ($22,680 vs. $25,065)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sterling College are 6.2% lower than costs at McPherson College ($9,336 vs. $9,918)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at McPherson College as Sterling College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McPherson College students is 11.1% larger than aid received Sterling College ($21,916 vs. $19,729)

McPherson College vs. SC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sterling College (990) is 50 points higher than at McPherson College (940)
  • Incoming SC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at McPherson College (20)
  • Accepted freshman SC students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at McPherson College (3.33)
  • McPherson College has a higher acceptance rate (65.9%) than SC (61.1%)

McPherson College vs. SC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, McPherson 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 McPherson College.

  • The graduation rate at SC is higher than McPherson College (48% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from McPherson College earn on average $6,800 more per year than SC graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $37,400)
  • Sterling College students graduate with a $1,337 lower median federal student loan debt than McPherson College graduates. ($24,663 vs. $26,000)
  • SC graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than McPherson College graduates. ($255 vs. $268)
  • More McPherson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SC students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 60%)

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