Henderson State University vs. KY State

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

 Henderson State University KY State
Location Arkadelphia, AR Frankfort, KY
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 2,519 1,726
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #976 #1014
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hsu.edu kysu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Henderson State University KY State
Tuition (In State) $5,880 $7,854
Tuition (Out of State) $8,088 $11,732
Room & Board $9,558 $8,076
Avg Net Price $17,656 $11,473
Avg Grant Aid $9,580 $8,257
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 99%

Admission

 Henderson State University KY State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,345 2,870
Admitted 1,657 2,626
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 91.5%
Enrolled % 24.9% 14.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 2.72
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/21 14/20
SAT Range 903/1073 783/978
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 Henderson State University KY State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Henderson State University KY State
Graduation Rate 31% 21%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $31,000
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 24%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $29,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $299

Diversity

 Henderson State University KY State
% Men 40% 42%
% Women 60% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No Yes
% White 66% 27%
% Black 24% 57%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 9%

Students

 Henderson State University KY State
% In-State 81% 23%
% Out-of-State 19% 76%

Campus

 Henderson State University KY State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Henderson State University is larger than than KY State based on total student enrollment (2,519 students vs. 1,726 students)

Henderson State University vs. KY State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Henderson State University or KY State?

  • Kentucky State University is 33.6% more expensive to attend than Henderson State University for in-state tuition ($7,854.00 vs. $5,880.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.1% higher at KY State than Henderson State University ($11,732.00 vs. $8,088.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kentucky State University than Henderson State University ($11,473 vs. $17,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky State University are 18.4% lower than costs at Henderson State University ($8,076 vs. $9,558)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky State University than Henderson State University (99% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Henderson State University students is 16% larger than aid received Kentucky State University ($9,580 vs. $8,257)

Henderson State University vs. KY State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Henderson State University (988) is 57 points higher than at KY State (931)
  • Incoming Henderson State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at KY State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Henderson State University students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.23) than students at KY State (2.72)
  • KY State has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than Henderson State University (70.7%)

Henderson State University vs. KY State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Henderson State University or KY 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 KY State and Henderson State University.

  • The graduation rate at Henderson State University is higher than Kentucky State University (31% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Henderson State University earn on average $7,400 more per year than KY State graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $31,000)
  • Henderson State University students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than KY State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $29,000)
  • Henderson State University graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than KY State graduates. ($201 vs. $299)
  • More Henderson State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KY State students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 24%)

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