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Kent State University at Stark

Public North Canton, OH · Suburban · Great Lakes · 87% data
B Value B Affordability C+ Earnings
Graduation Rate
37% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$45,388 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$10,897 B
36% less than the typical college
Enrollment
2,692
Earnings +11% vs avg
Graduation -35% vs avg
Net Price +-36% vs avg

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 24.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $24.0 over 20 years.

24.0× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $24.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,002,137.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 37% — 35% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $24.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Kent State University at Stark Matters

Kent State University at Stark is a public community college in North Canton, OH and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
2,692
Setting
Suburban
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Visual & Performing Arts, Computer Science & IT, Criminal Justice

Why students choose Kent State University at Stark

Strength in Humanities
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 45% overall
C+
Earnings
$45,388 median
B
Value
4.2× net price
B
Affordability
$10,897/yr net
D
Graduation
37% graduate
D
Diversity
0.39 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Kent State University at Stark caters well to students looking for a focused, community-oriented environment. With an enrollment of 2,692 students, it’s a place where you can really get to know your professors and peers. The top programs here include Humanities, Computer Science & IT, Criminal Justice, Visual & Performing Arts, and Business & Marketing, which means there’s a bit of something for everyone, whether you're drawn to creative fields or practical, tech-driven paths.

After graduation, students can expect to earn around $45,388 within ten years, which reflects a solid return on their investment in education. The affordability factor is significant here, especially when you consider the net price of $10,897 after financial aid. This is especially relevant for the 29% of students who receive Pell Grants, as it makes higher education more accessible. It’s important to think about this when weighing potential earnings against tuition costs.

When looking closer at the numbers, students typically graduate with a median debt of $24,500, which is manageable compared to what some other institutions might entail. Those who thrive here tend to be self-motivated and engaged in their studies, making the most of the supportive campus community. If you’re someone who values a tight-knit college atmosphere while working towards practical career goals, Kent State University at Stark may be the right fit for you.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Kent State University at Stark is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Kent State University at Stark? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in North Canton, Ohio, Kent State University at Stark enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 37%.

Retention Rate
54%
Full-Time Faculty
49%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$8,977
Student–Faculty Ratio
19:1
Diversity Index
0.39
First-Gen Students
36%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Kent State University at Stark? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Kent State University at Stark is $17,342, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $10,897. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,312 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$7,492
Out-of-State
$17,342
Avg Net Price
$10,897
Median Debt
$24,500
Pell Grant Rate
29%
Federal Loan Rate
36%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$8,312
Family Income $30K–$48K
$8,216
Family Income $48K–$75K
$10,651
Family Income $110K+
$14,909

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Kent State University at Stark — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Kent State University at Stark Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Kent State University at Stark earn a median of $45,388, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$40,179
8 Years
$43,003
10 Years
$45,388
Debt-to-Earnings
0.54x
Earning > $25K
60%

Earnings Trajectory

$40,179 6yr $43,003 8yr $45,388 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

How Kent Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation37%Earnings 10yr$45KNet Price$11KRetention54%Median Debt$25KPell Grant Rate29%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$8K$0-30K$8K$30-48K$11K$48-75K$15K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is Kent State University at Stark Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Kent State University at Stark delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $10,897/year ($43,588 total). Graduates earn $45,388 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,045,725 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,002,137 (24.0× your investment). The median debt is $24,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 37% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$43,588
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,045,725
Net Return
$1,002,137
ROI Multiple
24.0×
Cost Per Year
$10,897
Median Debt
$24,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
37%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Kent State University at Stark? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Kent State University at Stark. Its economic connectedness score is 1.12, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.11). Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.12
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.11
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
9.6%
Support Ratio
0.87
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Top Programs

The fields Kent State University at Stark awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Kent State University at Stark? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in North Canton, Ohio, Kent State University at Stark enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 37%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Kent State University at Stark? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Kent State University at Stark is $17,342, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $10,897. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,312 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,500 in federal student loans.

Is Kent State University at Stark Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Kent State University at Stark earn a median of $45,388, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

How Connected Is Kent State University at Stark? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Kent State University at Stark. Its economic connectedness score is 1.12, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.11). Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Kent State University at Stark.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys