Kent State vs. ETSU

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

Kent State ETSU
Location Kent, OH Johnson City, TN
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 25,854 13,483
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #839 #652
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kent.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kent State ETSU
Tuition (In State) $12,304 $7,722
Tuition (Out of State) $21,410 $11,532
Room & Board $12,676 $9,613
Avg Net Price $19,046 $14,350
Avg Grant Aid $9,539 $8,739
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 100%

Admission

Kent State ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,369 9,609
Admitted 17,929 8,193
Acceptance Rate 88% 85.3%
Enrolled % 23.9% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/26
SAT Range 990/1220 980/1190
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, 2025

Academics

Kent State ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Kent State ETSU
Graduation Rate 50% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,825 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $267 $211

Diversity

Kent State ETSU
% Men 37% 37%
% Women 63% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 82%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Kent State ETSU
% In-State 80% 75%
% Out-of-State 18% 23%

Campus

Kent State ETSU
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 ETSU based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 13,483 students)

Kent State vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kent State or ETSU?

  • Kent State University at Kent is 59.3% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($12,304.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 85.7% higher at Kent State than East Tennessee State University ($21,410.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than Kent State ($14,350 vs. $19,046)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 31.9% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($9,613 vs. $12,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than Kent State University at Kent (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kent State University at Kent students is 9.2% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($9,539 vs. $8,739)

Kent State vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 1 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming Kent State students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than ETSU (85.3%)

Kent State vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kent State or ETSU? 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 ETSU and Kent State.

  • The graduation rate at Kent State is higher than East Tennessee State University (50% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Kent State University at Kent earn on average $300 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $5,325 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,825)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($211 vs. $267)
  • More ETSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 46%)

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