Rivier College vs. Sterling College

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

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Rivier College vs. Sterling College comparison
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Sterling College
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Overview

Rivier College Sterling College
Location Nashua, NH Craftsbury Common, VT
Setting Small City Remote Rural
Enrollment 2,879 78
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rivier.edu sterlingcollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Rivier College Sterling College
Tuition (In State) $36,508 $40,560
Tuition (Out of State) $36,508 $40,560
Room & Board $14,943 $10,950
Avg Net Price $28,227 $30,785
Avg Grant Aid $22,763 $21,515
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Rivier College Sterling College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,749 52
Admitted 1,430 48
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 92.3%
Enrolled % 20.4% 14.6%
Avg High School GPA - 3.1
Typical High School Grades - B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Oct 16, 2025

Academics

Rivier College Sterling College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (55%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (48%)
  • Biology (33%)
  • Agriculture (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Rivier College Sterling College
Graduation Rate 32% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,455 $17,035
Median Loan Payment $263 $176

Diversity

Rivier College Sterling College
% Men 26% 8%
% Women 28% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 83%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 8% 6%

Students

Rivier College Sterling College
% In-State 49% 0%
% Out-of-State 51% 100%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rivier College is larger than than Sterling College based on total student enrollment (2,879 students vs. 78 students)

Rivier College vs. Sterling College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rivier College or Sterling College?

  • Sterling College is 11.1% more expensive to attend than Rivier College for in-state tuition ($40,560.00 vs. $36,508.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.1% higher at Sterling College than Rivier College ($40,560.00 vs. $36,508.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rivier College than Sterling College ($28,227 vs. $30,785)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sterling College are 36.5% lower than costs at Rivier College ($10,950 vs. $14,943)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sterling College than Rivier College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rivier College students is 5.8% larger than aid received Sterling College ($22,763 vs. $21,515)

Rivier College vs. Sterling College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Sterling College has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than Rivier College (81.8%)

Rivier College vs. Sterling College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rivier 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 Rivier College.

  • The graduation rate at Sterling College is higher than Rivier College (50% vs. 32%)
  • Sterling College students graduate with a $8,420 lower median federal student loan debt than Rivier College graduates. ($17,035 vs. $25,455)
  • Sterling College graduates are paying $87 less per month on federal student loans than Rivier College graduates. ($176 vs. $263)
  • More Sterling College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rivier College students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 70%)

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