Cal State Long Beach vs. Kent State

Should I go to California State University Long Beach or Kent State University at Kent? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Long Beach 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona BGSU Cleveland State San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State San Francisco State California State University-Northridge UCLA California State University-Fresno UCSC UC Riverside
California State University Long Beach vs. Kent State University at Kent comparison
California State University Long Beach Kent State University at Kent College 3 College 4
California State University Long Beach Kent State University at Kent
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Cal State Long Beach Kent State
Location Long Beach, CA Kent, OH
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 40,278 26,106
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #505 #829
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csulb.edu kent.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal State Long Beach Kent State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $12,674
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $22,144
Room & Board $15,612 $13,040
Avg Net Price $9,731 $20,333
Avg Grant Aid $10,512 $9,888
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 94%

Admission

 Cal State Long Beach Kent State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 79,680 22,365
Admitted 37,547 19,379
Acceptance Rate 47.1% 86.6%
Enrolled % 15.3% 22.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 18/25
SAT Range 1020/1240 1000/1230
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Cal State Long Beach Kent State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Cal State Long Beach Kent State
Graduation Rate 54% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $25,825
Median Loan Payment $155 $267

Diversity

 Cal State Long Beach Kent State
% Men 6% 8%
% Women 9% 14%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 19% 75%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 39% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 Cal State Long Beach Kent State
% In-State 97% 80%
% Out-of-State 1% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Long Beach is larger than than Kent State based on total student enrollment (40,278 students vs. 26,106 students)

Cal State Long Beach vs. Kent State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Long Beach or Kent State?

  • Kent State University at Kent is 120.7% more expensive to attend than Cal State Long Beach for in-state tuition ($12,674.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.7% higher at Kent State than California State University Long Beach ($22,144.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Long Beach than Kent State ($9,731 vs. $20,333)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kent State University at Kent are 19.7% lower than costs at California State University Long Beach ($13,040 vs. $15,612)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than California State University Long Beach (94% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Long Beach students is 6.3% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($10,512 vs. $9,888)

Cal State Long Beach vs. Kent State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kent State University at Kent (1067) is 11 points higher than at Cal State Long Beach (1056)
  • Incoming Cal State Long Beach students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Kent State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Long Beach students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Kent State (3.61)
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (86.6%) than Cal State Long Beach (47.1%)

Cal State Long Beach vs. Kent State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Long Beach 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 Cal State Long Beach.

  • The graduation rate at Cal State Long Beach is higher than Kent State University at Kent (54% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from California State University Long Beach earn on average $10,800 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $40,300)
  • California State University Long Beach students graduate with a $10,825 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($15,000 vs. $25,825)
  • Cal State Long Beach graduates are paying $112 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($155 vs. $267)
  • More Cal State Long Beach 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/