Friends University vs Sterling College

Friends University and Sterling College, both located in Kansas, offer distinct educational experiences. Friends University, a private institution, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to Sterling College's selective admissions (58%). Friends University's student body is more diverse, with a larger population of female students and a higher percentage of international students. Sterling College, on the other hand, has a smaller student body and a higher proportion of male students. While Friends University offers a wider range of undergraduate programs, Sterling College specializes in outdoor education and environmental science. Both institutions have comparable graduation rates, with Friends University slightly edging out Sterling College. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Friends University logo

Friends University

Sterling College logo

Sterling College

Overview

Location Wichita, Kansas Sterling, Kansas
Campus setting City: Large Rural: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 62.0% 55.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 57.7% 47.4%
Application fees $50
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $25
SAT range 473 - 538 996 - 1166
ACT range 18 - 23 18 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 5.0% 12.0%
Students submitting ACT score 45.0% 33.0%
Total number of applicants 1,826 2,574
Total number of admissions given out 1,053 1,220
Admitted students who chose to enroll 283 206
Yield rate 26.9% 16.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $45,351 $42,886
Average net price $22,647 $22,377
Tuition $30,264 $27,000
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,032

Meal plan: $4,570
Room/dormitory: $3,516

Meal plan: $5,608
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $18,719
100.0%
Average amount $18,158
Students receiving federal student loan 69.0%
Average amount $5,792
70.0%
Average amount $5,750
Students taking out private loans 11.0%
Average amount $12,338
8.0%
Average amount $11,649

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,190
Men 47.4% Women 52.6%
686
Men 59.0% Women 41.0%
Graduate students 502
Men 32.1% Women 67.9%
14
Men 14.3% Women 85.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students N/A 5.3%
Campus local/setting City: Large Rural: Distant
Dormitory capacity 450 635
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Liberal Arts
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies
  • Health Professions
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Education
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 40.2% 43.2%
Dropout rate 59.8% 25.2%
Transferred out N/A 30.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $71,655
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,450
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $58,911
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,241
  • Year 2: $50,231
  • Year 3: $52,844
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,694
  • Year 2: $48,600
  • Year 3: $49,729
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,614
  • Year 2: $43,899
  • Year 3: $47,042
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,812
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $45,471
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,920
  • Year 2: $36,069
  • Year 3: $43,133
Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $39,586
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,764
  • Year 2: $36,992
  • Year 3: N/A
Zoology/Animal Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,006
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,167
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $34,697
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,026
  • Year 2: $36,745
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: N/A

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