Kentucky vs. Kent State

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

 Kentucky Kent State
Location Lexington, KY Kent, OH
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 32,703 26,106
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #421 #829
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu kent.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Kentucky Kent State
Tuition (In State) $11,849 $12,674
Tuition (Out of State) $32,043 $22,144
Room & Board $15,242 $13,040
Avg Net Price $19,838 $20,333
Avg Grant Aid $13,024 $9,888
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 94%

Admission

 Kentucky Kent State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,233 22,365
Admitted 26,083 19,379
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 86.6%
Enrolled % 24.7% 22.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 18/25
SAT Range 1080/1290 1000/1230
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 Feb 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Kentucky Kent State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Kentucky Kent State
Graduation Rate 59% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $25,825
Median Loan Payment $235 $267

Diversity

 Kentucky Kent State
% Men 9% 8%
% Women 17% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 75%
% Black 8% 9%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

 Kentucky Kent State
% In-State 58% 80%
% Out-of-State 40% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than Kent State based on total student enrollment (32,703 students vs. 26,106 students)

Kentucky vs. Kent State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or Kent State?

  • Kent State University at Kent is 7% more expensive to attend than Kentucky for in-state tuition ($12,674.00 vs. $11,849.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.7% higher at Kentucky than Kent State University at Kent ($32,043.00 vs. $22,144.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than Kent State ($19,838 vs. $20,333)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kent State University at Kent are 16.9% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($13,040 vs. $15,242)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than Kent State University at Kent (96% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 31.7% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($13,024 vs. $9,888)

Kentucky vs. Kent State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 76 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming Kentucky students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Kent State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Kent State (86.6%)

Kentucky vs. Kent State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky 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 Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at Kentucky is higher than Kent State University at Kent (59% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of Kentucky earn on average $10,700 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $40,300)
  • University of Kentucky students graduate with a $3,075 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($22,750 vs. $25,825)
  • Kentucky graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($235 vs. $267)
  • More Kentucky graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 46%)

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