Kent State University at Salem — ROI, Cost & Payback
Kent State University at Salem charges a net price of $13,799/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $27,598. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,388, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Kent State University at Salem does not clear its cost — it ranks #80 of 144 Ohio colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,799/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $27,598 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,388 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,972/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$87,038 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Kent State University at Salem's own numbers. Net price $13,799 × 2 years = $27,598 total. Median earnings $45,388 fall $2,972 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $27,598 bill in about 2.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Kent State University at Salem students graduate with?
A median $24,500 in federal loans among completers, or 54% of the $45,388 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Kent State University at Salem students graduate?
31% finish their degree — 69% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $27,598 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $89,026 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Kent State University at Salem expensive compared with other Ohio colleges?
Its $13,799 net price runs $5,984 below the $19,783 median across the 144 Ohio colleges we profile, and $11,967 less across the full degree.