UAFS vs. SC

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR with Sterling College in Sterling, KS on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Arkansas Fort Smith is larger than SC based on total student enrollment (5,496 students vs. 694 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is located in Fort Smith, AR (Small City setting); Sterling College is in Sterling, KS (Remote Town setting).
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Sterling College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Arkansas Fort Smith 18:1; Sterling College 8:1.

UAFS vs. SC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or SC? 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 University of Arkansas Fort Smith than SC ($11,159 vs. $23,531).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sterling College are 4.9% lower than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith ($9,586 vs. $10,082).
• Sterling College is 359.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than UAFS (about $26,366 more per year; $33,700.00 vs. $7,334.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 176.6% higher at SC than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (about $21,518 more per year; $33,700.00 vs. $12,182.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sterling College than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (100% vs. 95%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sterling College students is 206.8% larger than aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students ($23,673 vs. $7,715).

UAFS vs. SC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UAFS or SC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SC and UAFS.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSterling College 938/1123.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSterling College 18/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UAFS - Required; SC - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: SC Aug 17, 2027.
• Accepted freshman SC students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at UAFS (3.39).
• UAFS has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than SC (48.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 40.2% at UAFS vs. 30.4% at SC.

UAFS vs. SC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UAFS and SC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Sterling College's six-year graduation rate (48%) is higher than University of Arkansas Fort Smith's (23%).
• Graduates from Sterling College earn a median of about $2,400 more per year than UAFS graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,400 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Arkansas Fort Smith graduates have a $10,531 lower median loan debt than SC graduates ($14,132 vs. $24,663).
• Among borrowers, UAFS graduates have an estimated $109 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SC graduates ($146 vs. $255).
• More SC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UAFS students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 47%)

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.