Oakland vs. Kent State

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

Oakland Kent State
Location Rochester Hills, MI Kent, OH
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,108 25,854
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #751 #839
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oakland.edu kent.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oakland Kent State
Tuition (In State) $14,476 $12,304
Tuition (Out of State) $23,730 $21,410
Room & Board $11,192 $12,676
Avg Net Price $15,161 $19,046
Avg Grant Aid $9,755 $9,539
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Oakland Kent State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,110 20,369
Admitted 10,005 17,929
Acceptance Rate 90.1% 88%
Enrolled % 21.2% 23.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25
SAT Range 1015/1245 990/1220
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

Oakland Kent State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Oakland Kent State
Graduation Rate 40% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,700 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,825
Median Loan Payment $258 $267

Diversity

Oakland Kent State
% Men 43% 37%
% Women 57% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 75%
% Black 8% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Oakland Kent State
% In-State 95% 80%
% Out-of-State 2% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Kent State University at Kent is larger than than Oakland based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 16,108 students)

Oakland vs. Kent State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oakland or Kent State?

  • Oakland University is 17.7% more expensive to attend than Kent State for in-state tuition ($14,476.00 vs. $12,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.8% higher at Oakland than Kent State University at Kent ($23,730.00 vs. $21,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Oakland University than Kent State ($15,161 vs. $19,046)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oakland University are 13.3% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($11,192 vs. $12,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oakland University than Kent State University at Kent (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oakland University students is 2.3% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($9,755 vs. $9,539)

Oakland vs. Kent State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Oakland University (1070) is 3 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming Oakland students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Kent State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Oakland (3.51)
  • Oakland has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than Kent State (88%)

Oakland vs. Kent State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Kent State is higher than Oakland University (50% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Oakland University earn on average $6,400 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $40,300)
  • Oakland University students graduate with a $825 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,825)
  • Oakland graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($258 vs. $267)
  • More Oakland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 46%)

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