Howard vs. Kent State

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

 Howard Kent State
Location Washington, DC Kent, OH
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,416 26,106
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #249 #829
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu kent.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Howard Kent State
Tuition (In State) $32,878 $12,674
Tuition (Out of State) $32,878 $22,144
Room & Board $16,474 $13,040
Avg Net Price $30,028 $20,333
Avg Grant Aid $21,422 $9,888
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

 Howard Kent State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,342 22,365
Admitted 10,587 19,379
Acceptance Rate 34.9% 86.6%
Enrolled % 21.4% 22.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/28 18/25
SAT Range 1100/1298 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, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Howard Kent State
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Howard Kent State
Graduation Rate 63% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,825
Median Loan Payment $279 $267

Diversity

 Howard Kent State
% Men 8% 8%
% Women 16% 14%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 75%
% Black 91% 9%
% Hispanic 0% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 5% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

 Howard Kent State
% In-State 1% 80%
% Out-of-State 91% 18%

Campus

 Howard Kent State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Howard based on total student enrollment (26,106 students vs. 13,416 students)

Howard vs. Kent State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Kent State?

  • Howard University is 159.4% more expensive to attend than Kent State for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $12,674.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.5% higher at Howard than Kent State University at Kent ($32,878.00 vs. $22,144.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kent State University at Kent than Howard ($20,333 vs. $30,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kent State University at Kent are 26.3% lower than costs at Howard University ($13,040 vs. $16,474)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than Kent State University at Kent (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 116.6% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($21,422 vs. $9,888)

Howard vs. Kent State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 38 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming Howard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Kent State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Kent State (3.61)
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (86.6%) than Howard (34.9%)

Howard vs. Kent State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard 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 Howard.

  • The graduation rate at Howard is higher than Kent State University at Kent (63% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Howard University earn on average $11,500 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $40,300)
  • Kent State University at Kent students graduate with a $1,175 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($25,825 vs. $27,000)
  • Kent State graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($267 vs. $279)
  • More Kent State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 33%)

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