ISU vs. Kent State

Should I go to Illinois State University or Kent State University at Kent? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU or Kent State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Illinois State University vs. Kent State University at Kent comparison
Illinois State University Kent State University at Kent College 3 College 4
Illinois State University Kent State University at Kent
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Overview

ISU Kent State
Location Normal, IL Kent, OH
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 20,683 25,854
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #839
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu kent.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Kent State
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $12,304
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $21,410
Room & Board $10,602 $12,676
Avg Net Price $20,551 $19,046
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $9,539
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 96%

Admission

ISU Kent State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 20,369
Admitted 16,899 17,929
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 88%
Enrolled % 23.6% 23.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 18/25
SAT Range 1000/1210 990/1220
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2024 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

ISU Kent State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

ISU Kent State
Graduation Rate 71% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $25,825
Median Loan Payment $227 $267

Diversity

ISU Kent State
% Men 42% 37%
% Women 58% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 75%
% Black 8% 9%
% Hispanic 9% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

ISU Kent State
% In-State 96% 80%
% Out-of-State 3% 18%

Campus

ISU Kent State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Kent State University at Kent is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 20,683 students)

ISU vs. Kent State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Kent State?

  • Kent State University at Kent is 3.9% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($12,304.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.6% higher at ISU than Kent State University at Kent ($23,681.00 vs. $21,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kent State University at Kent than ISU ($19,046 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 19.6% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($10,602 vs. $12,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Kent State University at Kent (97% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 21.8% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($11,619 vs. $9,539)

ISU vs. Kent State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ISU or Kent State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Kent State or ISU .

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 23 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Kent State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than ISU (86.2%)

ISU vs. Kent State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Kent State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Kent State and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Kent State University at Kent (71% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $8,700 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $40,300)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,825 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,825)
  • ISU graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($227 vs. $267)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 46%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/