Sterling College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Sterling College charges a net price of $22,371/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $89,484. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,846, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Sterling College does not clear its cost — it ranks #33 of 57 Kansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $22,371/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $89,484 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,846 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,514/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,625 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$139,764 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Sterling College's own numbers. Net price $22,371 × 4 years = $89,484 total. Median earnings $45,846 fall $2,514 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $89,484 bill in about 8.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Sterling College students graduate with?
A median $24,625 in federal loans among completers, or 54% of the $45,846 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Sterling College students graduate?
41% finish their degree — 59% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $89,484 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $218,254 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Sterling College expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $22,371 net price runs $7,091 above the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, or $28,364 more across the full degree.