Kent State acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Kent State University at Kent · Public · Kent, OH · 20,485 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Kent State admitted 86.6% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 83.0% in 2013. Ohio residents pay $13,628 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $23,791.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 83.0% | 15,970 | 13,259 |
| 2014 | 84.4% | 16,125 | 13,607 |
| 2015 | 84.8% | 15,772 | 13,369 |
| 2016 | 85.4% | 16,145 | 13,782 |
| 2017 | 87.5% | 15,538 | 13,598 |
| 2018 | 85.4% | 16,337 | 13,944 |
| 2019 | 85.5% | 16,308 | 13,950 |
| 2020 | 84.4% | 18,085 | 15,269 |
| 2021 | 87.3% | 19,881 | 17,359 |
| 2022 | 88.0% | 20,369 | 17,929 |
| 2023 | 86.6% | 22,365 | 19,379 |
Applications went from 15,970 in fall 2013 to 22,365 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $15,853 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $15,786 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,382 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $22,661 |
| Over $110,000 | $26,449 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $13,628 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $23,791 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $31,458 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $20,294 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 18% submitted the SAT, 51% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| University of Cincinnati OH | 87.7% | $14,394 in-state |
| Ohio University OH | 84.8% | $14,582 in-state |
| Miami University OH | 82.1% | $18,520 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Kent State admitted 86.6% of the 22,365 applicants for fall 2023, a little below the 88.0% of 2022 and above the 78.4% median rate of 64 Ohio colleges.1 In 2013 the rate was 83.0%, so it has risen 3.6 percentage points, and it declined in 3 of the 10 yearly comparisons.1 Applications grew 40% and admissions grew 46%, with admitted students going from 13,259 to 19,379.1
Scores are optional. The middle 50% of reported scores ran from 500 to 620 on SAT reading and writing, 500 to 610 on SAT math, and 18 to 25 on the ACT.1
Ohio residents pay $13,628 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, above the $11,856 median of 20 public bachelor's colleges in Ohio, while nonresidents pay $23,791.2 Average net price in 2024-25 was $15,853 for families earning $0 to $30,000, $16,382 for $48,001 to $75,000, and $26,449 above $110,000.2
51% of 2019 entrants graduated within 6 years, below the 56% median of 72 Ohio colleges.2 Pell grants went to 34% of Kent State undergraduates, while 81% of the fall 2023 entrants were retained.2 Median earnings are $51,178 at 10 years after entry, below the $57,745 state median, and median federal debt is $23,000.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 22,365 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 19,379 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 4,278 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 20,485 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 500 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 620 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 500 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 610 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 18 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 25 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 18% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 51% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $13,628 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $23,791 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $31,458 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $20,294 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $15,853 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $15,786 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,382 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $22,661 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $26,449 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 51% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 81% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 34% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $51,178 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $23,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median admit rate, Ohio (N = 64) | 78.4% | IPEDS ADM2023, median ADMSSN/APPLCN, bachelor's institutions, fall 20231 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Ohio (N = 20) | $11,856 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Ohio (N = 72) | 56% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, Ohio (N = 73) | $57,745 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Kent State, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page