Kennesaw State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Kennesaw, Georgia. It enrolls 41,254 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
73/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes46
Value81
Affordability68
Selectivity50
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Kennesaw State University admits 69.2% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.
Acceptance Rate
69.2%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1000 – 1220
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
19 – 26
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Kennesaw State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
6.0 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $15,048 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$5,808
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$17,736
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,287
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,045
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,883
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,841
Total Cost of Attendance
$24,008
Application fee: $40 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$12,235
$30,001 – $48,000
$12,661
$48,001 – $75,000
$15,185
$75,001 – $110,000
$18,263
Over $110,000
$19,309
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,00010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$23,833Medianpercentile
$24,08875%percentile
$35,31290%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $16,958
↓ $6,875
No Pell $11,000
↓ $12,833
Dependent students $13,000
↓ $10,833
Independent students $18,750
↓ $5,083
Female students $15,000
↓ $8,833
Male students $13,750
↓ $10,083
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($23,833), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
47% of students who start here finish within six years, and 78% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
47%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
78%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $57,552 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$57,552
Earning > $25K
80%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$42,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$56,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$45,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$47,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$51,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,200, about 24% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
15.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 78% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 41,254 students, a sprawling student community.
Total Enrolled
41,254
Part-Time
24%
First-Generation
27%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 39.2%16,172
Black 28.2%11,625
Hispanic 17.0%6,997
Asian 6.0%2,488
Other 5.3%2,203
International 1.8%730
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Kennesaw State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Kennesaw State University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
125 distinct programs across
24 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 23 students for every instructor here: high, so expect big lectures and to work harder for one-to-one time.
Student : Faculty
23:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,602
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$111M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$84,690
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
1,289 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
288
22%
$106,097
Associate Professors
282
22%
$88,411
Assistant Professors
343
27%
$83,221
Instructors
47
4%
$62,529
Lecturers
329
26%
$67,574
Pros & Cons of Kennesaw State University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Kennesaw State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Best for:
Based on the data, Kennesaw State University is a fit for
students who want a large campus with breadth and variety.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kennesaw State University
The questions families ask most about Kennesaw State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Kennesaw State University hard to get into?
Admissions at Kennesaw State University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 69.2%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Kennesaw State University?
69.2% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Kennesaw State University?
Aim for 1220 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1000 and 1220 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Kennesaw State University?
Aim for 26 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 19 and 26 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Kennesaw State University cost?
Budget around $15,048 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Kennesaw State University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $57,552 a year against a net price of $15,048, about 3.8 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Kennesaw State University known for?
Mostly Psychology, Business Administration, Nursing. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Kennesaw State University graduates earn?
About $57,552 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Kennesaw State University accredited?
Yes. Kennesaw State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Kennesaw State University?
41,254 students. Large, so expect big lectures and more independence in finding your own footing. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Kennesaw State University?
47% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Kennesaw State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Kennesaw State University located?
Kennesaw State University is located in Kennesaw, Georgia.
What programs does Kennesaw State University offer?
125 different programs, most commonly Psychology, Business Administration, Nursing. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Kennesaw State University?
23 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Georgia
Other colleges in Georgia share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Nursing
Business Administration
Information Systems
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