SC vs. MBC

Should I go to Sterling College or Mary Baldwin College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SC or MBC 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. Mary Baldwin College comparison
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Mary Baldwin College
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Overview

SC MBC
Location Sterling, KS Staunton, VA
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 706 1,957
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1040
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sterling.edu mbc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SC MBC
Tuition (In State) $28,500 $31,611
Tuition (Out of State) $28,500 $31,611
Room & Board $9,336 $10,320
Avg Net Price $22,680 $18,746
Avg Grant Aid $19,729 $24,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

SC MBC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,959 -
Admitted 1,197 -
Acceptance Rate 61.1%
Enrolled % 13.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 938/1123 940/1120
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 17, 2025

Academics

SC MBC
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (8%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • History (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

SC MBC
Graduation Rate 48% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,663 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $255 $279

Diversity

SC MBC
% Men 59% 21%
% Women 41% 79%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 58%
% Black 11% 23%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 2% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

SC MBC
% In-State 37% 75%
% Out-of-State 53% 22%

Campus

SC MBC
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

  • Mary Baldwin College is larger than than SC based on total student enrollment (1,957 students vs. 706 students)

SC vs. MBC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SC or MBC?

  • Mary Baldwin College is 10.9% more expensive to attend than SC for in-state tuition ($31,611.00 vs. $28,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.9% higher at MBC than Sterling College ($31,611.00 vs. $28,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mary Baldwin College than SC ($18,746 vs. $22,680)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sterling College are 10.5% lower than costs at Mary Baldwin College ($9,336 vs. $10,320)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Sterling College as Mary Baldwin College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mary Baldwin College students is 23.6% larger than aid received Sterling College ($24,389 vs. $19,729)

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

  • The average SAT score at Mary Baldwin College (1009) is 19 points higher than at SC (990)
  • Incoming SC students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at MBC (22)
  • Accepted freshman MBC students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at SC (3.46)

SC vs. MBC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SC or MBC? 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 MBC and SC.

  • The graduation rate at MBC is higher than Sterling College (49% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Mary Baldwin College earn on average $1,000 more per year than SC graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $37,400)
  • Sterling College students graduate with a $2,337 lower median federal student loan debt than MBC graduates. ($24,663 vs. $27,000)
  • SC graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than MBC graduates. ($255 vs. $279)
  • More SC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MBC students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 53%)

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