Kent State vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

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

Kent State Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Kent, OH Center Valley, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 25,854 888
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 Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $12,304 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $21,410 $24,318
Room & Board $12,676 $12,984
Avg Net Price $19,046 $18,142
Avg Grant Aid $9,539 $9,886
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 78%

Admission

Kent State Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,369 1,806
Admitted 17,929 1,699
Acceptance Rate 88% 94.1%
Enrolled % 23.9% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 22/26
SAT Range 990/1220 1100/1290
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 Lehigh Valley
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

Kent State Penn State Lehigh Valley
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 Lehigh Valley
% Men 37% 57%
% Women 63% 43%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 75% 64%
% Black 9% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Kent State Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 80% 93%
% Out-of-State 18% 6%

Campus

Kent State Penn State Lehigh Valley
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
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 Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 888 students)

Kent State vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kent State or Penn State Lehigh Valley?

  • Penn State Lehigh Valley is 18.9% more expensive to attend than Kent State for in-state tuition ($14,624.00 vs. $12,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.6% higher at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Kent State University at Kent ($24,318.00 vs. $21,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Kent State ($18,142 vs. $19,046)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kent State University at Kent are 2.4% lower than costs at Penn State Lehigh Valley ($12,676 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than Penn State Lehigh Valley (96% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Lehigh Valley students is 3.6% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($9,886 vs. $9,539)

Kent State vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kent State University at Kent (1067) is 48 points higher than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019)
  • Incoming Kent State students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (23)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than Kent State (88%)

Kent State vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kent State or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Lehigh Valley and Kent State.

  • The graduation rate at Kent State is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (50% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley graduates. ($25,825 vs. $26,818)
  • Kent State graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates. ($267 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Lehigh Valley 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/