Kean University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Union, New Jersey. It enrolls 11,433 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
73/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes36
Value89
Affordability83
Selectivity32
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 75.9%, Kean University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
75.9%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
930 – 1150
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
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 Kean University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
8.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Kean University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $12,447 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$12,447
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
48%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
41%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$14,299
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$22,446
Room & Board (on-campus)
$18,264
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,656
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,324
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,846
Total Cost of Attendance
$26,949
Application fee: $75 (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
$7,374
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,859
$48,001 – $75,000
$12,136
$75,001 – $110,000
$20,146
Over $110,000
$20,110
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.
$4,12510%percentile
$8,25025%percentile
$23,250Medianpercentile
$28,00075%percentile
$36,00090%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 $18,320
↓ $4,930
No Pell $14,500
↓ $8,750
Dependent students $15,250
↓ $8,000
Independent students $21,601
↓ $1,649
Female students $17,750
↓ $5,500
Male students $15,750
↓ $7,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,000, less than completers ($23,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
56% of full-time students who enrolled at Kean University graduate within six years, and 76% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
56%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
76%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Kean University earn a median of $57,237 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$57,237
Earning > $25K
81%
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
$44,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$55,500
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$45,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$49,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$50,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $11,400, about 21% 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 ↑
15.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 74% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Kean University is home to 11,433 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 46% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
11,433
Part-Time
14%
First-Generation
46%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 39.2%4,476
White 23.9%2,735
Black 21.2%2,420
International 6.1%701
Asian 4.5%513
Other 2.3%260
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Kean University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbUnion, New Jersey
Housing
Partly residential1,905 beds available
Adult Learners
19%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Kean University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
83 distinct programs across
22 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Kean University is 17:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
17:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$12,610
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$72M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$88,291
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
370 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
55
15%
$122,458
Associate Professors
72
19%
$101,309
Assistant Professors
135
36%
$83,690
Instructors
1
0%
$49,236
Lecturers
107
29%
$68,138
Pros & Cons of Kean University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Kean University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Solid post-graduation earnings
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Modest first-year retention
Best for:
Based on the data, Kean University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kean University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Kean University.
Is Kean University hard to get into?
Kean University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 75.9%.
What is the acceptance rate at Kean University?
Kean University has an acceptance rate of 75.9%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Kean University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Kean University scored between 930 and 1150 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
How much does Kean University cost?
The average net price after aid at Kean University is $12,447 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Kean University worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $57,237 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $12,447 per year. That's roughly 4.6x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Kean University known for?
Kean University is best known for its programs in Psychology, Business Administration, Biology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Kean University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Kean University are $57,237, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Kean University accredited?
Yes. Kean University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Kean University?
Kean University enrolls 11,433 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Kean University?
Kean University graduates 56% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Kean University a public or private college?
Kean University is a Public institution.
Where is Kean University located?
Kean University is located in Union, New Jersey.
What programs does Kean University offer?
Kean University offers 83 distinct programs. The most popular include Psychology, Business Administration, Biology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Kean University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Kean University is 17:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Rankings That Feature Kean University
Kean University appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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