Kent State vs. ONU

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

Overview

Kent State ONU
Location Kent, OH Ada, OH
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 25,854 3,015
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #839 #211
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kent.edu onu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kent State ONU
Tuition (In State) $12,304 $35,480
Tuition (Out of State) $21,410 $35,480
Room & Board $12,676 $12,900
Avg Net Price $19,046 $27,398
Avg Grant Aid $9,539 $24,235
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 97%

Admission

Kent State ONU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,369 6,625
Admitted 17,929 3,602
Acceptance Rate 88% 54.4%
Enrolled % 23.9% 18.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.78
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25 25/30
SAT Range 990/1220 1160/1340
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Kent State ONU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

Kent State ONU
Graduation Rate 50% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $71,200
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,825 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $267 $279

Diversity

Kent State ONU
% Men 37% 52%
% Women 63% 48%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 84%
% Black 9% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Kent State ONU
% In-State 80% 83%
% Out-of-State 18% 16%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Kent State University at Kent is larger than than ONU based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 3,015 students)

Kent State vs. ONU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kent State or ONU?

  • Ohio Northern University is 188.4% more expensive to attend than Kent State for in-state tuition ($35,480.00 vs. $12,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.7% higher at ONU than Kent State University at Kent ($35,480.00 vs. $21,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kent State University at Kent than ONU ($19,046 vs. $27,398)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kent State University at Kent are 1.8% lower than costs at Ohio Northern University ($12,676 vs. $12,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Northern University than Kent State University at Kent (97% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Northern University students is 154.1% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($24,235 vs. $9,539)

Kent State vs. ONU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio Northern University (1158) is 91 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming ONU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Kent State (23)
  • Accepted freshman ONU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at Kent State (3.61)
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than ONU (54.4%)

Kent State vs. ONU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ONU is higher than Kent State University at Kent (65% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn on average $30,900 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($71,200 vs. $40,300)
  • Kent State University at Kent students graduate with a $1,175 lower median federal student loan debt than ONU graduates. ($25,825 vs. $27,000)
  • Kent State graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than ONU graduates. ($267 vs. $279)
  • More ONU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 46%)

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