Kent State vs. Penn State Beaver

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

Kent State Penn State Beaver
Location Kent, OH Monaca, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 25,854 522
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #839
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kent.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kent State Penn State Beaver
Tuition (In State) $12,304 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $21,410 $23,086
Room & Board $12,676 $12,254
Avg Net Price $19,046 $18,113
Avg Grant Aid $9,539 $9,274
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 87%

Admission

Kent State Penn State Beaver
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,369 1,707
Admitted 17,929 1,591
Acceptance Rate 88% 93.2%
Enrolled % 23.9% 10.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 20/28
SAT Range 990/1220 1050/1260
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 Penn State Beaver
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (54%)
  • Psychology (24%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (1%)

Outcomes

Kent State Penn State Beaver
Graduation Rate 50% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,825 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $267 $277

Diversity

Kent State Penn State Beaver
% Men 37% 55%
% Women 63% 45%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 75%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Kent State Penn State Beaver
% In-State 80% 63%
% Out-of-State 18% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Kent State University at Kent is larger than than Penn State Beaver based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 522 students)

Kent State vs. Penn State Beaver Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kent State or Penn State Beaver?

  • Penn State Beaver is 12.4% more expensive to attend than Kent State for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $12,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.8% higher at Penn State Beaver than Kent State University at Kent ($23,086.00 vs. $21,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Beaver than Kent State ($18,113 vs. $19,046)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Beaver are 3.4% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($12,254 vs. $12,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than Penn State Beaver (96% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kent State University at Kent students is 2.9% larger than aid received Penn State Beaver ($9,539 vs. $9,274)

Kent State vs. Penn State Beaver Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kent State University at Kent (1067) is 68 points higher than at Penn State Beaver (999)
  • Incoming Kent State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Beaver (21)
  • Penn State Beaver has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than Kent State (88%)

Kent State vs. Penn State Beaver Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kent State or Penn State Beaver? 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 Penn State Beaver and Kent State.

  • The graduation rate at Kent State is higher than Penn State Beaver (50% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Beaver earn on average $15,000 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,300)
  • Kent State University at Kent students graduate with a $993 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($25,825 vs. $26,818)
  • Kent State graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($267 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Beaver 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/