Quad

Head-to-head

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    College of Saint Mary graduates 30 pts more of its students than Sterling (71% vs. 41%)

    Graduation rate
  2. 2

    College of Saint Mary grads earn $8.5K more ten years out than Sterling's ($54,338 vs. $45,846)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  3. 3

    Sterling has 8 pts more first-gen students than College of Saint Mary (34% vs. 26%)

    First-generation students
  4. 4

    College of Saint Mary costs about $5.2K less per year on average than Sterling ($18,431 vs. $23,599, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  5. 5

    College of Saint Mary's yield is 5 pts higher than Sterling's

    Yield rate
  6. 6

    Sterling is more diverse (index 0.67 vs. 0.63)

    Diversity index

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

College of Saint Mary admits 45%, Sterling 48%; College of Saint Mary's yield is higher, at 35%.

Acceptance rate
Sterling48%
College of Saint Mary45%
Quad's selectivity
  • SterlingAccessible
  • College of Saint MarySelective
ACT middle 50%Axis 14–36
SterlingNot reported
College of Saint Mary
18–26
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • SterlingGPA and school record required
  • College of Saint MaryGPA, school record, and prep program required

Who's on each campus

Sterling is a bit larger than College of Saint Mary (538 vs. 445 undergrads); College of Saint Mary has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Sterling538
College of Saint Mary445
Pell Grant share
Sterling37%
College of Saint Mary39%

Majors and faculty

Sport and Fitness Administration/Management leads at Sterling, and Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse at College of Saint Mary; both have 8 students per faculty member.

Students per faculty member
Sterling8 to 1
College of Saint Mary8 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • SterlingSport and Fitness Administration/Management13%
  • College of Saint MaryRegistered Nursing/Registered Nurse40%

What each costs

College of Saint Mary costs about $5.2K less a year than Sterling on average, and its grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Sterling$23.6K
College of Saint Mary$18.4K
Aid generosity
Sterling50%
College of Saint Mary51%

What each pays off

College of Saint Mary's former students earn more, a median $54.3K ten years after enrolling.

Median earnings, 10 years
Sterling$45.8K
College of Saint Mary$54.3K
Graduation rate
Sterling41%
College of Saint Mary71%

How each has changed

Applications grew at College of Saint Mary but fell at Sterling; College of Saint Mary got more selective while Sterling got less.

Applications, 10-year change
  • SterlingShrinking−32%
  • College of Saint MaryGrowing+60%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why