Kent State vs. Penn State

Should I go to Kent State University at Kent or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Kent State or Penn 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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Kent State University at Kent vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Kent State University at Kent Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Kent State University at Kent Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

Kent State Penn State
Location Kent, OH University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 25,854 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #839 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kent.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kent State Penn State
Tuition (In State) $12,304 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $21,410 $35,946
Room & Board $12,676 $12,744
Avg Net Price $19,046 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $9,539 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 44%

Admission

Kent State Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,369 85,784
Admitted 17,929 47,360
Acceptance Rate 88% 55.2%
Enrolled % 23.9% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Moderate Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25 26/31
SAT Range 990/1220 1210/1390
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 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

Kent State Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Kent State Penn State
Graduation Rate 50% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,825 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $267 $277

Diversity

Kent State Penn State
% Men 37% 53%
% Women 63% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 75% 69%
% Black 9% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Kent State Penn State
% In-State 80% 51%
% Out-of-State 18% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Kent State based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 25,854 students)

Kent State vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kent State or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 49.3% more expensive to attend than Kent State for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $12,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.9% higher at Penn State than Kent State University at Kent ($35,946.00 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 Penn State ($19,046 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kent State University at Kent are 0.5% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,676 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than Penn State Main Campus (96% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 5.5% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($10,066 vs. $9,539)

Kent State vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 135 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Kent State (23)
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Kent State vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kent State or Penn 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 Penn State and Kent State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Kent State University at Kent (87% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $15,000 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,300)
  • Kent State University at Kent students graduate with a $993 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($25,825 vs. $26,818)
  • Kent State graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($267 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 46%)

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