Sterling College continues to impress. Year after year, institutions such as The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Christian Universities Online bestow titles like “Best in the Midwest,” “Best Regional College” and “Most Affordable Christian College” on the school, helping Sterling College to retain a prestigious position among colleges and universities within the state and the nation.

Based off of institutional data and student surveys, The Princeton Review has placed Sterling College on the list of “Best Regional Colleges: Midwestern” for 2016. For five of the past six years, Sterling College has appeared on this list due to the strong ratings it received for multiple categories. Scores are on a scale of 60-99, so the scores of 87, 83 and 81 for the categories of Professor Accessible, Professor Interesting and financial aid, respectively, were mentioned by The Princeton Review. Similarly, the U.S. News & World Report has placed Sterling College on the “Best Regional Colleges: Midwest” list for the third year in a row. This year, Sterling College moved up seven places to number 60 due to its increased scores in peer assessment, average freshman retention rate and graduation rate. The report showed that Sterling College is the fifth highest Kansas school on the list, and it ranks third highest for average freshman retention and percent of classes under 20.

Additionally, Sterling College has been recognized for an important specific aspect–its affordability. For the second time, Sterling College was placed on the “50 Most Affordable Christian Colleges and Universities” list released by Christian Universities Online. Ranked at number 18, the College’s position on the list jumped 11 places in just one year. Selection for the list is based on net price tuition data for schools accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, or the Association of Christian Schools International.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average net price is calculated by “subtracting the average amount of federal, state/local government, or institutional grant or scholarship aid from the total cost of attendance. Total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees, books and supplies, and the weighted average for room and board and other expenses.”

“We are honored and proud to accept all of these awards, which recognize the accomplishments of Sterling College and rank it highly among similar colleges and universities in the nation. The fact that institutions as respected as The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Christian Universities Online would repeatedly identify Sterling College as one of the best schools to attend is humbling. The marketplace for higher education is increasingly competitive, and the awards from The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report are a testament to the dedication of our faculty and staff to the students of this school,” said Scott Rich, president.

“An especially important element to prospective students is affordability, and being ranked as one of the most affordable schools reflects the generosity of the donors that support our institution and the fiscally responsible decisions made by Sterling College leadership and employees. A quality, liberal arts education is one of the best ways a young person can invest in their future and we are proud to continue to be a part of that,” said Rich.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visitwww.sterling.edu.