Kent State vs. Penn State Beaver

Deciding between Kent State University at Kent and Penn State Beaver? 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

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Kent State Kent, OH
  • Penn State Beaver Monaca, PA
  • Setting
  • Kent State Large Suburban
  • Penn State Beaver Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Kent State 26,374
  • Penn State Beaver 482
  • Type
  • Kent State Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Beaver Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Kent State #807
  • Penn State Beaver
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Kent State -
  • Penn State Beaver -
  • Status
  • Kent State Non-profit
  • Penn State Beaver Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Kent State
  • Penn State Beaver
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Kent State $13,232
  • Penn State Beaver $14,408
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Kent State $23,082
  • Penn State Beaver $24,134
  • Room & Board
  • Kent State $13,794
  • Penn State Beaver $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Kent State $21,278
  • Penn State Beaver $18,581
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Kent State $10,076
  • Penn State Beaver $9,045
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Kent State 95%
  • Penn State Beaver 88%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Kent State 24,611
  • Penn State Beaver 1,703
  • Admitted
  • Kent State 21,248
  • Penn State Beaver 1,629
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Kent State 86.3%
  • Penn State Beaver 95.7%
  • Enrolled
  • Kent State 20.3%
  • Penn State Beaver 9.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Kent State 1130
  • Penn State Beaver 1190
  • Typical ACT score
  • Kent State 21
  • Penn State Beaver 25
  • Average High School GPA
  • Kent State 3.61
  • Penn State Beaver -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Kent State A-
  • Penn State Beaver -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Kent State Moderate
  • Penn State Beaver Average
  • Applicant Competition
  • Kent State
  • Penn State Beaver
  • ACT Range
  • Kent State 18/25
  • Penn State Beaver 24/27
  • SAT Range
  • Kent State 1010/1240
  • Penn State Beaver 1080/1290
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Kent State Test optional
  • Penn State Beaver Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Kent State Aug 1, 2027
  • Penn State Beaver
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Kent State 20:1
  • Penn State Beaver 12:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Kent State
    • Business (21%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • Education (10%)
    • Communication (8%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Penn State Beaver
    • Business (54%)
    • Psychology (24%)
    • Communication (18%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (1%)
  • Outcomes

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

  • % Men
  • Kent State 37%
  • Penn State Beaver 57%
  • % Women
  • Kent State 63%
  • Penn State Beaver 43%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Kent State Low
  • Penn State Beaver Low
  • HBCU
  • Kent State No
  • Penn State Beaver No
  • % White
  • Kent State 75%
  • Penn State Beaver 75%
  • % Asian
  • Kent State 1%
  • Penn State Beaver 3%
  • % Black
  • Kent State 9%
  • Penn State Beaver 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • Kent State 3%
  • Penn State Beaver 5%
  • % Native American
  • Kent State 0%
  • Penn State Beaver 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Kent State 0%
  • Penn State Beaver 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Kent State 3%
  • Penn State Beaver 2%
  • % International
  • Kent State 6%
  • Penn State Beaver 3%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Kent State 3%
  • Penn State Beaver 1%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Kent State 80%
  • Penn State Beaver 68%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Kent State 16%
  • Penn State Beaver 30%
  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Kent State University at Kent is larger than Penn State Beaver based on total student enrollment (26,374 students vs. 482 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Kent State University at Kent is located in Kent, OH (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Beaver is in Monaca, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Kent State University at Kent is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Beaver is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Kent State University at Kent 20:1; Penn State Beaver 12:1.

Kent State vs. Penn State Beaver Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kent State or Penn State Beaver? 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 Penn State Beaver than Kent State ($18,581 vs. $21,278).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kent State University at Kent are 4.7% lower than at Penn State Beaver ($13,794 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Beaver is 8.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Kent State (about $1,176 more per year; $14,408.00 vs. $13,232.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 4.6% higher at Penn State Beaver than at Kent State University at Kent (about $1,052 more per year; $24,134.00 vs. $23,082.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than at Penn State Beaver (95% vs. 88%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kent State University at Kent students is 11.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Beaver students ($10,076 vs. $9,045).

Kent State vs. Penn State Beaver Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Kent State or Penn State Beaver? 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 Beaver and Kent State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Beaver (1190) is 60 points higher than at Kent State (1130).
  • Incoming Penn State Beaver students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (25 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 Beaver 1080/1290.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kent State University at Kent 18/25; Penn State Beaver 24/27.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Kent State - Test optional; Penn State Beaver - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Kent State Aug 1, 2027.
  • Penn State Beaver has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than Kent State (86.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.3% at Kent State vs. 9.5% at Penn State Beaver.

Kent State vs. Penn State Beaver Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Kent State and Penn State Beaver? 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).

  • Kent State University at Kent's six-year graduation rate (50%) is higher than Penn State Beaver's (47%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Beaver 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 Beaver 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 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.