Kent State vs. RU

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

Kent State RU
Location Kent, OH Radford, VA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 25,854 7,718
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #839 #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kent.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kent State RU
Tuition (In State) $12,304 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $21,410 $20,246
Room & Board $12,676 $10,567
Avg Net Price $19,046 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $9,539 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 96%

Admission

Kent State RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,369 11,442
Admitted 17,929 10,680
Acceptance Rate 88% 93.3%
Enrolled % 23.9% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/23
SAT Range 990/1220 960/1160
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 RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Kent State RU
Graduation Rate 50% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,825 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $267 $237

Diversity

Kent State RU
% Men 37% 33%
% Women 63% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 71%
% Black 9% 13%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Kent State RU
% In-State 80% 89%
% Out-of-State 18% 11%

Campus

Kent State RU
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 RU based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 7,718 students)

Kent State vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kent State or RU?

  • Kent State University at Kent is 50.9% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($12,304.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at Kent State than Radford University ($21,410.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than Kent State ($17,105 vs. $19,046)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 20% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($10,567 vs. $12,676)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Kent State University at Kent as Radford University (96% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Radford University students is 2% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($9,733 vs. $9,539)

Kent State vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at RU (3.31)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than Kent State (88%)

Kent State vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kent State or RU? 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 RU and Kent State.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Kent State University at Kent (56% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $7,100 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $40,300)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $2,825 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($23,000 vs. $25,825)
  • RU graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($237 vs. $267)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 46%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/