Kent State vs. Penn State Berks

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

Kent State Penn State Berks
Location Kent, OH Reading, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 25,854 2,077
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #839 #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kent.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kent State Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $12,304 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $21,410 $25,854
Room & Board $12,676 $14,334
Avg Net Price $19,046 $21,728
Avg Grant Aid $9,539 $8,528
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 66%

Admission

Kent State Penn State Berks
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,369 5,605
Admitted 17,929 5,453
Acceptance Rate 88% 97.3%
Enrolled % 23.9% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 23/28
SAT Range 990/1220 1090/1290
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 Berks
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 (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Kent State Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 50% 55%
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 Berks
% Men 37% 59%
% Women 63% 41%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 75% 68%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 11%
% 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 Berks
% In-State 80% 64%
% Out-of-State 18% 30%

Campus

Kent State Penn State Berks
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 Berks based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 2,077 students)

Kent State vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Berks is 25.1% more expensive to attend than Kent State for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $12,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.8% higher at Penn State Berks than Kent State University at Kent ($25,854.00 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 Penn State Berks ($19,046 vs. $21,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kent State University at Kent are 13.1% lower than costs at Penn State Berks ($12,676 vs. $14,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than Penn State Berks (96% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kent State University at Kent students is 11.9% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($9,539 vs. $8,528)

Kent State vs. Penn State Berks Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kent State University at Kent (1067) is 89 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
  • Incoming Kent State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Kent State (88%)

Kent State vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Berks is higher than Kent State University at Kent (55% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Berks 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 Berks graduates. ($25,825 vs. $26,818)
  • Kent State graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($267 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Berks 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/