Davidson vs. Kenyon

Deciding between Davidson College and Kenyon College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Davidson College
Kenyon College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Davidson Davidson, NC
  • Kenyon Gambier, OH
  • Setting
  • Davidson Large Suburban
  • Kenyon Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • Davidson 1,869
  • Kenyon 2,249
  • Type
  • Davidson Private 4 Year
  • Kenyon Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Davidson #32
  • Kenyon #62
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Davidson Presbyterian Church (USA)
  • Kenyon -
  • Status
  • Davidson Non-profit
  • Kenyon Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Davidson
  • Kenyon

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Davidson $64,410
  • Kenyon $71,520
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Davidson $64,410
  • Kenyon $71,520
  • Room & Board
  • Davidson $17,100
  • Kenyon $15,640
  • Average Net Price
  • Davidson $27,720
  • Kenyon $46,859
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Davidson $51,755
  • Kenyon $40,731
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Davidson 65%
  • Kenyon 82%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Davidson 8,114
  • Kenyon 7,726
  • Admitted
  • Davidson 1,085
  • Kenyon 2,397
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Davidson 13.4%
  • Kenyon 31%
  • Enrolled
  • Davidson 47.9%
  • Kenyon 18.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Davidson 1470
  • Kenyon 1430
  • Typical ACT score
  • Davidson 32
  • Kenyon 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • Davidson 3.81
  • Kenyon 3.84
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Davidson A-
  • Kenyon A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Davidson Exceptional
  • Kenyon Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Davidson Very High
  • Kenyon High
  • ACT Range
  • Davidson 31/34
  • Kenyon 31/33
  • SAT Range
  • Davidson 1400/1530
  • Kenyon 1358/1503
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Davidson Test optional
  • Kenyon Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Davidson Jan 7, 2027
  • Kenyon Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Davidson 8:1
  • Kenyon 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Davidson
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (11%)
    • English and Literature (11%)
  • Kenyon
    • Social Sciences (22%)
    • English and Literature (17%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Foreign Languages (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Davidson 92%
  • Kenyon 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Davidson $63,500
  • Kenyon $52,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Davidson 89%
  • Kenyon 87%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Davidson $17,000
  • Kenyon $19,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Davidson $175
  • Kenyon $196

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Davidson 47%
  • Kenyon 44%
  • % Women
  • Davidson 53%
  • Kenyon 56%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Davidson Medium
  • Kenyon Low
  • HBCU
  • Davidson No
  • Kenyon No
  • % White
  • Davidson 68%
  • Kenyon 73%
  • % Asian
  • Davidson 5%
  • Kenyon 4%
  • % Black
  • Davidson 7%
  • Kenyon 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Davidson 8%
  • Kenyon 7%
  • % Native American
  • Davidson 1%
  • Kenyon 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Davidson 0%
  • Kenyon 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Davidson 4%
  • Kenyon 4%
  • % International
  • Davidson 6%
  • Kenyon 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Davidson 1%
  • Kenyon 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Davidson 19%
  • Kenyon 12%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Davidson 68%
  • Kenyon 78%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Davidson Yes
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Davidson No
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Davidson Yes
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Davidson No
  • Kenyon No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Davidson No
  • Kenyon No

Comparable Facts

Compare Davidson College in Davidson, NC with Kenyon College in Gambier, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Kenyon College is larger than Davidson based on total student enrollment (2,249 students vs. 1,869 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Davidson College is located in Davidson, NC (Large Suburban setting); Kenyon College is in Gambier, OH (Distant Rural setting).
  • Davidson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Kenyon College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Davidson College 8:1; Kenyon College 9:1.

Davidson vs. Kenyon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Davidson or Kenyon? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Davidson College than Kenyon ($27,720 vs. $46,859).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kenyon College are 8.5% lower than at Davidson College ($15,640 vs. $17,100).
  • Kenyon College is 11% more expensive for in-state tuition than Davidson (about $7,110 more per year; $71,520.00 vs. $64,410.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 11% higher at Kenyon than at Davidson College (about $7,110 more per year; $71,520.00 vs. $64,410.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Kenyon College than at Davidson College (82% vs. 65%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 27.1% larger than aid received by Kenyon College students ($51,755 vs. $40,731).

Davidson vs. Kenyon Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Davidson or Kenyon? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Kenyon and Davidson.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Davidson College (1470) is 40 points higher than at Kenyon (1430).
  • Incoming Davidson students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 32) as students at Kenyon (32).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 1400/1530; Kenyon College 1358/1503.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 31/34; Kenyon College 31/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Davidson - Test optional; Kenyon - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Davidson Jan 7, 2027; Kenyon Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Kenyon students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Davidson (3.81).
  • Kenyon has a higher acceptance rate (31%) than Davidson (13.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 47.9% at Davidson vs. 18.3% at Kenyon.

Davidson vs. Kenyon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Davidson and Kenyon? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Davidson College's six-year graduation rate (92%) is higher than Kenyon College's (87%).
  • Graduates from Davidson College earn a median of about $10,600 more per year than Kenyon graduates about ten years after starting college ($63,500 vs. $52,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Davidson College graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Kenyon graduates ($17,000 vs. $19,000).
  • Among borrowers, Davidson graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Kenyon graduates ($175 vs. $196).
  • More Davidson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kenyon students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.