Kent State vs. VCU

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

Kent State VCU
Location Kent, OH Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 25,854 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #839 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kent.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kent State VCU
Tuition (In State) $12,304 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $21,410 $33,726
Room & Board $12,676 $12,279
Avg Net Price $19,046 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $9,539 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 83%

Admission

Kent State VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,369 18,242
Admitted 17,929 16,600
Acceptance Rate 88% 91%
Enrolled % 23.9% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 22/30
SAT Range 990/1220 1030/1290
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 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

Kent State VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Kent State VCU
Graduation Rate 50% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,825 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $267 $240

Diversity

Kent State VCU
% Men 37% 36%
% Women 63% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 75% 50%
% Black 9% 18%
% Hispanic 3% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Kent State VCU
% In-State 80% 92%
% Out-of-State 18% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than Kent State based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 25,854 students)

Kent State vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kent State or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 1.3% more expensive to attend than Kent State for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $12,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.5% higher at VCU than Kent State University at Kent ($33,726.00 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 VCU ($19,046 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 3.2% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($12,279 vs. $12,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than Virginia Commonwealth University (96% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 31.9% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($12,583 vs. $9,539)

Kent State vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 30 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Kent State (23)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Kent State (3.61)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Kent State (88%)

Kent State vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at VCU is higher than Kent State University at Kent (53% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $7,200 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $40,300)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $2,575 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,825)
  • VCU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($240 vs. $267)
  • More VCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 46%)

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