BGSU vs. Kent State

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

 BGSU Kent State
Location Bowling Green, OH Kent, OH
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,920 25,854
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #839
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu kent.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BGSU Kent State
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $12,304
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $21,410
Room & Board $12,584 $12,676
Avg Net Price $20,485 $19,046
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $9,539
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 96%

Admission

 BGSU Kent State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 20,369
Admitted 13,723 17,929
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 88%
Enrolled % 21.4% 23.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 18/25
SAT Range 990/1200 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 Jul 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 BGSU Kent State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 BGSU Kent State
Graduation Rate 58% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,825
Median Loan Payment $268 $267

Diversity

 BGSU Kent State
% Men 42% 37%
% Women 58% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 75%
% Black 10% 9%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 BGSU Kent State
% In-State 88% 80%
% Out-of-State 11% 18%

Campus

 BGSU 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

  • Kent State University at Kent is larger than than BGSU based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 16,920 students)

BGSU vs. Kent State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or Kent State?

  • Kent State University at Kent is 9.2% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($12,304.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.9% higher at Kent State than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($21,410.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kent State University at Kent than BGSU ($19,046 vs. $20,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowling Green State University Main Campus are 0.7% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($12,584 vs. $12,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (96% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kent State University at Kent students is 7.2% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($9,539 vs. $8,898)

BGSU vs. Kent State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kent State University at Kent (1067) is 55 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming Kent State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at BGSU (3.6)
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than BGSU (78.7%)

BGSU vs. Kent State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BGSU 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 BGSU.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Kent State University at Kent (58% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn on average $3,300 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($43,600 vs. $40,300)
  • Kent State University at Kent students graduate with a $175 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($25,825 vs. $26,000)
  • Kent State graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($267 vs. $268)
  • More BGSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 46%)

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