Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State University has seen its standing fluctuate in recent years while maintaining accessible undergraduate admissions and a strong enrollment draw relative to its peers. In the 2027 US News Best Colleges rankings, the university stood at rank 342, rebounding from rank 394 in 2024. For fall 2025, the university admitted 69.2% of its applicants, indicating attainable entry standards for qualified students. While admission is broadly attainable, the school converts offers of admission into enrollments at an unusually high rate compared to its peer cohort. The university recorded a 38% yield rate in 2025, which is higher than 97% of peer schools in a comparison group of public comprehensive universities with similar rankings. For prospective applicants, this combination means that while admission is achievable, admitted students show a clear inclination to enroll, reflecting strong regional demand and steady student commitment to attending.

Applicants targeting Kennesaw State University generally need solid academic records and standardized testing performance that aligns well with regional peers. For 2025, the university enrolled students with a median SAT score of 1110, which was higher than 80% of peer schools in its comparison group of public comprehensive universities with similar rankings. On the ACT, enrolled test takers recorded composite scores between 19 and 26 for the middle range. In addition, the vast majority of incoming students recorded upper-level high school grade point averages across their secondary coursework. For families planning their applications, these statistics show that admission is attainable for students who maintain steady high school grades and score within or above these mid-range testing bands. Preparing coursework to match these benchmarks provides prospective candidates with a realistic expectation of their admissions competitiveness.

Graduation patterns at Kennesaw State University are widely distributed across practical career tracks rather than concentrated in a few disciplines. In 2025, the top three bachelor degree programs accounted for just 18.7% of all undergraduate degrees awarded. The largest undergraduate major was General Psychology with 584 graduates, followed by Registered Nursing and General Business Administration. However, the university's largest undergraduate programs do not align with its highest-ranked offerings; its primary academic strengths in national rankings appear at the graduate level, led by graduate accounting at rank 56 in the 2026 US News rankings. In graduate school, technical fields also draw heavy global enrollment, with international students comprising 87.7% of master degree graduates in Computer Science. In terms of compensation, 2023 earnings data show that technical and healthcare fields deliver the strongest early returns, with registered nursing graduates earning a median salary of $86,532 one year after graduation. For prospective applicants, the university functions primarily as a workforce-oriented institution where clinical and technical majors yield the highest financial dividends.

Kennesaw State University educates a large, predominantly domestic student body where undergraduate and graduate cohorts display distinct demographic patterns. Across the campus, White and Black students represent the largest racial groups. Among incoming first-year undergraduates in 2025, Asian students numbered 605, representing 6.6% of the freshman class. International students formed a much smaller undergraduate component, with 117 students making up 1.3% of entering freshmen. By contrast, international presence expands notably at the advanced degree level, where overseas scholars make up a double-digit percentage of all graduate enrollments, while Asian students maintain a consistent minority presence. Female students hold a slight majority among undergraduates and represent an even larger proportion of graduate students. For prospective applicants, this environment offers an expansive public institution experience centered primarily around domestic student communities, accompanied by focused pockets of international diversity in graduate study.

Undergraduate life at Kennesaw State University is centered on traditional college-age students, whereas the graduate population reflects working adults. In 2025, students aged 18 to 19 formed the single largest undergraduate group, accounting for 34.8% of all undergraduates, while those aged 20 to 21 made up another 29.6%. Together with students aged 22 to 24, traditional-age students dominate the undergraduate campus environment, creating a typical daytime college atmosphere. In contrast, graduate programs serve a broader age spectrum. Students aged 25 to 29 represented the largest graduate segment at 24.6%, followed closely by individuals in their early twenties and a substantial group aged 40 to 49. For incoming undergraduates, campus life aligns with traditional peers moving straight from secondary school, while graduate students share classrooms with mid-career professionals.

International enrollment at Kennesaw State University shows sharply contrasting trends between degree levels. At the undergraduate level, international students represented 1.8% of enrollment in 2025, a proportion that has remained unchanged since 2016. In contrast, the international share of graduate students grew substantially over the same period, rising from 6.4% in 2016 to 14.6% in 2025. When looking at degrees awarded in 2025, international graduates were heavily concentrated at the master's level rather than in bachelor's programs. Among master degree recipients, international representation was especially pronounced in technology fields: international students comprised 87.7% of graduates in Computer Science alongside a majority in Information Technology. At the undergraduate level, international graduates were far less concentrated, with Computer Science recording the highest undergraduate share among top majors, while general fields like psychology and nursing enrolled minimal international students. For prospective international applicants, these patterns show that graduate technical departments offer an established international peer cohort, whereas undergraduate programs remain overwhelmingly domestic.

Applicants considering Kennesaw State University have several alternative higher education options located nearby in the greater Atlanta region. Located 21.3 kilometers away, Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus is a major public research institution that ranked 29th among National Universities in the 2027 US News rankings. For applicants seeking a major private research institution, Emory University sits 22.7 kilometers from campus and held the 23rd spot among National Universities in 2027. Another urban public option is Georgia State University, located 22.8 kilometers away and ranked 191st among National Universities in the same list. For students interested in a historically Black women's liberal arts college, Spelman College is located 22.5 kilometers away and ranked 34th among Liberal Arts Colleges in 2027.

Campus safety reporting at Kennesaw State University reflects negligible levels of recorded disciplinary and criminal activity under federal guidelines. In 2025, the university's weighted crime rate per 1,000 students was 0. Historical records indicate that this weighted crime rate per 1,000 students has remained at 0 each year from 2016 through 2025. Additionally, the university reported zero incidents across all primary categories over the three-year tracking period from 2023 to 2025. While families evaluate overall campus life, these official public safety reports show an absence of weighted crime incidents and disciplinary referrals on file for recent reporting years.