BSU vs. Kent State

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

 BSU Kent State
Location Muncie, IN Kent, OH
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 20,440 26,106
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #829
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu kent.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Kent State
Tuition (In State) $8,688 $12,674
Tuition (Out of State) $26,696 $22,144
Room & Board $12,064 $13,040
Avg Net Price $13,017 $20,333
Avg Grant Aid $13,046 $9,888
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 94%

Admission

 BSU Kent State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,668 22,365
Admitted 20,525 19,379
Acceptance Rate 71.6% 86.6%
Enrolled % 18.6% 22.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 18/25
SAT Range 1080/1250 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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 BSU Kent State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 BSU Kent State
Graduation Rate 55% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,825
Median Loan Payment $258 $267

Diversity

 BSU Kent State
% Men 6% 8%
% Women 21% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 75%
% Black 8% 9%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 BSU Kent State
% In-State 90% 80%
% Out-of-State 9% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Kent State University at Kent is larger than than BSU based on total student enrollment (26,106 students vs. 20,440 students)

BSU vs. Kent State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Kent State?

  • Kent State University at Kent is 45.9% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($12,674.00 vs. $8,688.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.6% higher at BSU than Kent State University at Kent ($26,696.00 vs. $22,144.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Kent State ($13,017 vs. $20,333)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 8.1% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($12,064 vs. $13,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than Ball State University (94% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 31.9% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($13,046 vs. $9,888)

BSU vs. Kent State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 3 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming Kent State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (86.6%) than BSU (71.6%)

BSU vs. Kent State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU 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 BSU.

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Kent State University at Kent (55% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $2,200 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $40,300)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $825 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,825)
  • BSU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($258 vs. $267)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 46%)

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