SC vs. Defiance College

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

 SC Defiance College
Location Sterling, KS Defiance, OH
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 706 540
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sterling.edu defiance.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SC Defiance College
Tuition (In State) $28,500 $34,556
Tuition (Out of State) $28,500 $34,556
Room & Board $9,336 $10,940
Avg Net Price $22,680 $23,196
Avg Grant Aid $19,729 $24,970
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 SC Defiance College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,959 2,722
Admitted 1,197 1,711
Acceptance Rate 61.1% 62.9%
Enrolled % 13.4% 8.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.12
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24 17/23
SAT Range 938/1123 860/1110
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

 SC Defiance College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (8%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (6%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 SC Defiance College
Graduation Rate 48% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,663 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $255 $279

Diversity

 SC Defiance College
% Men 59% 60%
% Women 41% 40%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 80%
% Black 11% 8%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 SC Defiance College
% In-State 37% 66%
% Out-of-State 53% 31%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sterling College is larger than than Defiance College based on total student enrollment (706 students vs. 540 students)

SC vs. Defiance College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SC or Defiance College?

  • Defiance College is 21.2% more expensive to attend than SC for in-state tuition ($34,556.00 vs. $28,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.2% higher at Defiance College than Sterling College ($34,556.00 vs. $28,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sterling College than Defiance College ($22,680 vs. $23,196)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sterling College are 17.2% lower than costs at Defiance College ($9,336 vs. $10,940)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sterling College than Defiance College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Defiance College students is 26.6% larger than aid received Sterling College ($24,970 vs. $19,729)

SC vs. Defiance College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sterling College (990) is 6 points higher than at Defiance College (984)
  • Incoming SC students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Defiance College (22)
  • Accepted freshman SC students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at Defiance College (3.12)
  • Defiance College has a higher acceptance rate (62.9%) than SC (61.1%)

SC vs. Defiance College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SC or Defiance 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 Defiance College and SC.

  • The graduation rate at Defiance College is higher than Sterling College (51% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Defiance College earn on average $6,300 more per year than SC graduates after ten years. ($43,700 vs. $37,400)
  • Sterling College students graduate with a $2,337 lower median federal student loan debt than Defiance College graduates. ($24,663 vs. $27,000)
  • SC graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Defiance College graduates. ($255 vs. $279)
  • More SC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Defiance 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/