WSU vs. Kent State

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

WSU Kent State
Location Detroit, MI Kent, OH
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 23,630 25,854
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #839
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu kent.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSU Kent State
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $12,304
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $21,410
Room & Board $11,321 $12,676
Avg Net Price $15,347 $19,046
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $9,539
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 96%

Admission

WSU Kent State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 20,369
Admitted 10,547 17,929
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 88%
Enrolled % 24.4% 23.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 18/25
SAT Range 1040/1260 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

WSU Kent State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

WSU Kent State
Graduation Rate 26% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $25,825
Median Loan Payment $230 $267

Diversity

WSU Kent State
% Men 40% 37%
% Women 60% 63%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 75%
% Black 19% 9%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

WSU Kent State
% In-State 93% 80%
% Out-of-State 3% 18%

Campus

WSU Kent State
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

  • Kent State University at Kent is larger than than WSU based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 23,630 students)

WSU vs. Kent State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or Kent State?

  • Wayne State University is 5.1% more expensive to attend than Kent State for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $12,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.4% higher at WSU than Kent State University at Kent ($29,622.00 vs. $21,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than Kent State ($15,347 vs. $19,046)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 12% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($11,321 vs. $12,676)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University as Kent State University at Kent (96% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 11.2% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($10,605 vs. $9,539)

WSU vs. Kent State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wayne State University (1070) is 3 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming WSU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Kent State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than WSU (75.3%)

WSU vs. Kent State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSU 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 WSU.

  • The graduation rate at Kent State is higher than Wayne State University (50% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $10,700 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $40,300)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $3,567 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($22,258 vs. $25,825)
  • WSU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($230 vs. $267)
  • More Kent State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 38%)

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