Kent State vs. Penn State

Deciding between Kent State University at Kent and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Kent State University at Kent
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Kent State Kent, OH
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Kent State Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Kent State 26,374
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Kent State Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Kent State #807
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Kent State -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Kent State Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Kent State
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Kent State $13,232
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Kent State $23,082
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Kent State $13,794
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Kent State $21,278
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Kent State $10,076
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Kent State 95%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Kent State 24,611
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Kent State 21,248
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Kent State 86.3%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Kent State 20.3%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Kent State 1130
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Kent State 21
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Kent State 3.61
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Kent State A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Kent State Moderate
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Kent State
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Kent State 18/25
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Kent State 1010/1240
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Kent State Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Kent State Aug 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Kent State 20:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Kent State
    • Business (21%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • Education (10%)
    • Communication (8%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Kent State 50%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Kent State $40,300
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Kent State 46%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Kent State $25,825
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Kent State $267
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Kent State 37%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Kent State 63%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Kent State Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Kent State No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Kent State 75%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Kent State 1%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Kent State 9%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Kent State 3%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Kent State 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Kent State 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Kent State 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Kent State 6%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Kent State 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Kent State 80%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Kent State 16%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Kent State Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Kent State No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Kent State Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Kent State Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Kent State Yes
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Kent State University at Kent in Kent, OH with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Kent State based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 26,374 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Kent State University at Kent is located in Kent, OH (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Kent State University at Kent is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Kent State University at Kent 20:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Kent State vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kent State or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kent State University at Kent than Penn State ($21,278 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kent State University at Kent are 4.7% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($13,794 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 56% more expensive for in-state tuition than Kent State (about $7,412 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $13,232.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 81.1% higher at Penn State than at Kent State University at Kent (about $18,708 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $23,082.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than at Penn State Main Campus (95% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 12.5% larger than aid received by Kent State University at Kent students ($11,336 vs. $10,076).

Kent State vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Kent State or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and Kent State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 200 points higher than at Kent State (1130).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 8 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 21 at Kent State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kent State University at Kent 1010/1240; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kent State University at Kent 18/25; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Kent State - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Kent State Aug 1, 2027.
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (86.3%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.3% at Kent State vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Kent State vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Kent State and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Kent State University at Kent's (50%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $15,000 more per year than Kent State graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $40,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Kent State University at Kent graduates have a $993 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($25,825 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Kent State graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($267 vs. $277).
  • More Penn State 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.