NEC vs. Sterling College

Comparable Facts

Compare New England College in Henniker, NH with Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, VT on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

New England College is larger than Sterling College based on total student enrollment (3,275 students vs. 57 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• New England College is located in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting); Sterling College is in Craftsbury Common, VT (Remote Rural setting).
• New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Sterling College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: New England College 8:1; Sterling College 7:1.

NEC vs. Sterling College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NEC or Sterling College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sterling College than NEC ($21,854 vs. $27,398).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sterling College are 37.5% lower than at New England College ($10,950 vs. $17,526).
• New England College is 2.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sterling College (about $1,178 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $40,760.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.9% higher at NEC than at Sterling College (about $1,178 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $40,760.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sterling College than at New England College (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sterling College students is 1.4% larger than aid received by New England College students ($32,556 vs. $32,095).

NEC vs. Sterling College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NEC or Sterling College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Sterling College and NEC.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: NEC - Test-free; Sterling College - Test-free.
• Enrolled freshman Sterling College students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.1) than students at NEC (2.81).
• NEC has a higher acceptance rate (92.1%) than Sterling College (66.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8.8% at NEC vs. 10.9% at Sterling College.

NEC vs. Sterling College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NEC and Sterling College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Sterling College's six-year graduation rate (50%) is higher than New England College's (38%).
• Graduates from New England College have median earnings of about $39,400 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for Sterling College.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sterling College graduates have a $9,965 lower median loan debt than NEC graduates ($17,035 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Sterling College graduates have an estimated $103 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NEC graduates ($176 vs. $279).
• More Sterling College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NEC students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.