Kenyon College Acceptance Rate, Admissions & Graduation

This is neither a college brochure nor a cold government table. It is a translation into plain language for families of what Kenyon College officially reported about itself. Let us take it piece by piece.

Who Kenyon College is and where it is located

Kenyon College is a private, nonprofit, four-year college devoted primarily to bachelor's-level education. The federal system that classifies colleges in the United States describes it as a small, highly residential arts and sciences college: at least half of its undergraduate students live in housing owned or controlled by the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 attend full time. That same system places it among the most selective schools in its admissions profile.

It is in Gambier, Ohio, in Knox County. The area around the campus is officially classified as rural near a town, not within a large urban area. If your family does not live nearby, this matters in a very practical way: you need to calculate separately how your child would get there, how much travel would cost, and how often your child would come home. The official data locates the school; it does not locate your family or measure the trip. That is for you to find out.

The highest credential Kenyon College reports offering is a bachelor's degree. That describes the institution; it does not guarantee that the exact major your child wants is offered there or leads to that degree. That detail must be checked program by program, not through the school's general classification.

And there is something worth clarifying right away, because many families look for this information: Kenyon College is not listed as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges in this national directory, 138 do have at least one of those three designations; Kenyon is not one of them. That does not say which students it serves, how many Latino students are on campus, or how your child would feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist today, what student organizations are active, and, better yet, talk with someone who already attends.

The size of the community your child would join

In the fall of 2023, Kenyon College had 2,184 enrolled students, all of them undergraduates—it reported no graduate enrollment that fall. It is midsized: among the similar selective private schools included in this census, it falls right in the middle, neither among the largest nor the smallest.

Among those 2,184 students, there are more women than men: 58 out of every 100 are women. And there is one fact worth stating plainly: 6 out of every 100 undergraduate students are Hispanic or Latino. It is a small minority, and compared with the 941 selective private schools in this census that report the figure, Kenyon ranks below the midpoint of the group.

That alone neither removes the school from the list nor puts it on the list. It simply means that if your child enrolls there, your child will be part of a small group. If that matters to your family—and it matters to many—the task during a visit is to ask what Latino student group exists, whether there is a cultural center, and whether anyone in the admissions or student life office speaks Spanish. The number describes the entire school; your child's experience in a specific major may look different.

One technical figure helps explain the actual size of the entering class: IPEDS also reports 455 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking undergraduate students. That group is not the entire class entering that year; it is a specific subset the government uses for other calculations you will see later, including graduation.

How the academic year is organized

Kenyon College organizes its academic year into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The school stated that it accepts credit for AP exams, but it did not indicate that it awards credit for life experience. Elsewhere in its report, it said that it does enroll high school students in college courses for credit, both within and outside a formal dual enrollment program.

Here is a truth worth stating directly: a school that accepts AP does not necessarily award credit for every exam at every score. The report does not say what scores are required or whether those credits will count toward your child's specific major. Request a written equivalency evaluation before your family assumes that it will save time or money.

In a recent year, Kenyon awarded 495 bachelor's degrees across 13 families of fields of study. No single one dominated: the largest, social sciences, accounted for 24 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year, and no other field surpassed it. Compared with nearly one thousand similar schools, Kenyon falls in the quarter with the fewest families of fields represented in its bachelor's-degree details. This counts degrees awarded in one year, not majors in the current catalog or teaching quality. If your child already has a major in mind, the specific questions are: how many students graduated in that major, how long did it take, and what does the full curriculum look like?

As for the student-faculty ratio, Kenyon reports 9 full-time-equivalent students for every full-time-equivalent instructional staff member. It is a very low ratio—among the lowest reported in this kind of comparison—and falls in the lowest quarter among similar schools. But here is the hard truth that comes with every attractive ratio: a low number does not guarantee small classes. It relates full-time-equivalent people; it does not count seats in a classroom. If this matters to you, ask directly how many students are in first-year classes.

What Kenyon offers beyond the classroom

The institution reports two structured academic opportunities: study abroad and cocurricular undergraduate research. This is information that the school itself says is available; it does not indicate what percentage of students participate, how students gain access, or whether there is an additional cost. If this interests your child, discuss it directly with admissions.

Getting into Kenyon: what is required and what counts

Here is one of the central pieces of information in this article, so let us take it slowly.

Kenyon College does not have open admissions. It reviews specific components before saying yes. Of the nine considerations the government asks colleges about, Kenyon marked five as required: the high school record, high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory course requirements, letters of recommendation, and an English proficiency exam for applicants who need one.

Other components are not required but are considered if submitted: your child's class rank, personal essay, and work experience. The report does not say how much weight each carries in the final decision, so it is not possible to claim that the essay “makes up for” the required components or to say how much it affects the decision.

One figure is worth emphasizing because it may ease a real concern: the published undergraduate application fee is $0.

Letters of recommendation are required. My practical recommendation is to request them a month in advance and give the teacher or counselor a summary of what your child has done over the years. No one remembers everything, and a generic letter is not as helpful as a specific one.

How selective is it, by the numbers?

In the 2023 cycle, Kenyon College received 8,218 first-time undergraduate applications. It offered admission to 2,524. That is 31 out of every 100 applicants admitted.

Compared with the 942 selective private schools in this census, Kenyon is among those that admit the fewest applicants: nine out of ten of those schools admitted a higher percentage of their applicants. On the other side of the calculation, 5,694 applicants did not receive an offer that cycle.

This figure does not distinguish among denials, waitlists, or withdrawn applications. And it is a school-wide number: IPEDS does not report how many students are admitted to each specific major. If your child is pursuing a particular program, ask admissions directly for that information. And here is something you already know but that is worth saying aloud: it is fine for Kenyon to be on your child's list. It should not be the only school on it.

Of those admitted, how many decide to attend?

Out of every 100 students Kenyon admitted in the official 2023 count, 18 enrolled. The remaining 82 had a place there and did not take it. Among similar schools, that proportion is one of the most common: neither especially high nor especially low.

Put plainly: out of every six young people Kenyon admits, roughly one ends up enrolling. Do not read that as a mark against the school. The federal record does not say why each person chose what they chose—many already had other acceptance letters in hand. What others decided does not tell you what Kenyon will offer you. Wait for your own letter, with your own net price, before drawing conclusions.

About the SAT and ACT

Kenyon reported that the SAT and ACT are not required: if your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds normally. Of the first-time students who enrolled, only 20 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores. Among those students, the middle half scored between 690 and 750 in reading and writing and between 670 and 750 in mathematics.

Those ranges describe students who had already enrolled and chose to submit their scores—not all applicants—and they do not prove that the scores influenced admission. That 690 is not a minimum your child must reach, and that 750 does not guarantee anything either.

Transfers: few arrive, and few leave

Of the first-time, full-time bachelor's-degree-seeking class that entered in 2017, 36 students were recorded as having transferred out without completing at Kenyon within 150% of normal time: 8 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, that proportion is on the low side—most of those schools saw more students leave.

On the other hand, in the fall of 2023, only 15 undergraduate students entered Kenyon for the first time after previously studying at another institution. It is a small number in both directions. This figure does not say what happened to those who left—they may have graduated elsewhere, remained enrolled, or stopped studying—or how many credits were accepted for those who arrived. If your child is considering transferring into or out of Kenyon, request a written explanation of how the credits would be accepted, using the exact list of courses, before making the move.

The list price: what Kenyon publishes before any aid

Here we come to the number you probably looked for first.

For the 2023–24 academic year, Kenyon College reported a cost of attendance of $87,590 for first-time, full-time undergraduate students living on campus. This budget is the same whether your family is from Ohio or any other state; Kenyon does not charge different rates based on residency.

The total also includes an estimate of other expenses—transportation, laundry, entertainment—calculated by the financial aid office. Compared with 888 similar schools, this cost of attendance is among the highest in the group.

Now for the truth underlying this entire article: this is the list price, not your family's bill. It is the number used to calculate aid, not necessarily what you will pay. Complete the FAFSA. Request the financial aid letter in writing. Until you have it in hand, you do not know what Kenyon will cost your family specifically.

The net price: what families actually pay, according to income

At Kenyon College, among 24 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $8,865. Among 22 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $13,777; among 76 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $45,073. For dependent students, the band combines their parents' income with their own.

The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (24 students) and the average for the highest-income band (76 students) is $36,208. These are group averages, not a prediction of your family's price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $44,470.

Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, Kenyon falls in the least expensive quarter for the lowest-income families after grants and scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it will be inexpensive for your family. It is a figure worth considering when you build the list of schools to apply to.

Because the price varies so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average after grants and scholarships, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The financial aid letter sent to you is what matters most.

Grants, Pell, and loans: where the money comes from

Out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Kenyon, 79 received some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Among those who received it, the annual average was $40,011. Compared with similar schools, Kenyon falls in the quarter where grants and scholarships reach fewer students—although 79 out of every 100 is still a large majority.

But there is a distinction many families do not make, and it matters here: of those 79, only 10 out of every 100 received a Pell Grant, the federal aid specifically intended for low-income families. That means at least 69 out of every 100 received aid from another source—the school itself, the state, or somewhere else—but not from Pell. Receiving aid is not the same as receiving Pell, and the report does not identify where each grant or scholarship came from. The concrete task is to ask directly who provides that aid, what requirements apply, and what must be done to renew it each year.

As for loans, in the 2022-23 academic year, only 24 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan. Most received none. Among those who did borrow, the average was $5,759 that academic year. Compared with similar schools, Kenyon students use federal loans less often than students at almost all of them: nine out of ten schools in the group had a higher proportion of students with debt.

That does not mean everyone was able to cover the cost with other resources. The data does not say how they covered the remainder—it may have been through grants or scholarships, work, family savings, or another kind of debt not recorded in this report. And this average of $5,759 covers only one year and only federal loans in the student's name: it does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, bank debt, or the total debt a student has upon graduation. That cumulative figure is not in this report.

Kenyon also reports that an installment tuition payment plan is available as a way to manage the cost.

Living in Gambier: housing, sports, and daily life

If your child enters Kenyon full time in the first year, living on campus is not optional: the school requires first-time, full-time students to live in housing owned or controlled by the institution. The reported maximum capacity of that housing is 1,968 students. Meal plans are also available, and the largest plan has a fixed number of meals per week.

This has a direct practical consequence for your budget: when comparing Kenyon with another school, room and food are not expenses that can be cut later. They are part of the bill from day one.

As for ROTC, Kenyon did not mark any ROTC opportunity in its report, either in the general field or for any of the three military branches. Among the four-year institutions in this guide, 926 out of 1,786 did mark it; Kenyon was not among them. That does not prove there is no nearby option—it only means none was reported in this field. If that scholarship or path matters to your family, ask admissions directly before ruling it out.

Kenyon does compete in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA. It reports membership for football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. This does not identify the division in which each sport competes or whether athletic scholarships are awarded. If sports are part of the plan, contact the appropriate coach directly and request the answer in writing.

Kenyon does not offer distance education: not a single course, at either the undergraduate or graduate level. If your child needs scheduling flexibility because of work or caregiving responsibilities at home, the entire schedule would have to fit into in-person attendance.

The library operates with paid staff, has physical and digital collections, and participates in interlibrary lending. The institution also reports combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for students completing their programs, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, and a published webpage for disability services. The fact that these services are reported does not indicate how good they are or how accessible they are in practice; ask about that during the visit.

What happens to students who enroll: retention and graduation

This is perhaps the section where Kenyon presents its most consistent picture.

Of the cohort of first-time, full-time students who entered in the fall of 2022—531 people—91 out of every 100 were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later. Compared with 930 similar selective private schools, Kenyon is among those that retain the highest share of their students: nine out of ten of those schools retained an equal or smaller proportion.

This figure combines two distinct groups—those who are still studying and those who have already graduated—without separating them, and it does not say what happened to the remaining 9 percent.

As for graduation, among first-time, full-time students who entered a bachelor's degree program in 2017 without having previously attended another college, 87 out of every 100 graduated within six years (393 out of 453). At four years, the figure falls to 67 out of every 100—twenty percentage points lower. That gap matters because four years is the period most families budget for. It means one out of every three needed an additional year, with the added cost that entails.

Compared with 920 similar schools, Kenyon is among those that graduate the highest share of students: nine out of ten schools in that group reported an equal or lower proportion. Before signing, request written information on how long your child's specific program usually takes, how required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost would change if an additional year were needed.

One final long-term figure: tracking a cohort that entered between July 2015 and June 2016—503 undergraduate students, including first-time students and those with prior postsecondary experience—by August 2023, 86 out of every 100 had earned a Kenyon degree or certificate. Among Pell Grant recipients in that same cohort, the figure was identical: 86 out of every 100. The fact that the two figures match does not mean the path was equally easy for both groups. Compared with 935 similar schools, Kenyon is among those that award credentials to the highest share of students within eight years.

A high percentage in any of these measures does not predict what will happen to your child individually. It describes a group that has already attended. It is worth asking about the program's current support services and the outcomes of more recent classes.

Putting the pieces together

Kenyon College is a small, rural school that is highly selective on paper, with a list price among the highest in the country and, at the same time, a net price that—for the lowest-income families—falls among the lowest in its comparison group. It is a school where almost everyone who enrolls stays and almost everyone who stays graduates, where few students use federal loans, and where Latino students are currently a small minority on campus.

None of those facts, by itself, tells you whether Kenyon is the right school for your child. That depends on two other pieces this article cannot provide: what your child wants to study and has built so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay once the actual financial aid letter arrives.

If you live far from Ohio, the questions of travel and distance are yours to resolve. If your family's budget is tight, the net-price band corresponding to your income is the number to pursue, not $87,590. If finding other Latino students matters to your child, that is a question to ask during the visit, not one this data sheet can answer. If the plan includes ROTC or a specific sport, have that conversation directly with the college and get the answer in writing.

What you can do now is this: save this information, compare it with information about the other schools on your child's list, and when the admission and financial aid letters arrive, have them in hand before deciding. You now understand one part of the plan in depth. The other two—what your child wants and what you can afford—are for you to build together.

Note on sources: the information in this article comes from data Kenyon College reported to the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS system, primarily for the years 2022-23 and 2023-24, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent Kenyon College or any agency of the United States government; this piece is a plain-language translation of public data, not an admissions recommendation or a guarantee of individual outcomes.