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Keene State College

KSC

Keene, New Hampshire 03435-1506

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

College townGreek life

Public town college in Keene

Keene State College is a public institution in Keene with particular strength in psychology and business.

A mid-sized campus of 2.7K undergraduates with a 16:1 student-faculty ratio. The town location creates a classic college-town feel.

58% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $54,368 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $19,164.

Established
1909
Motto
Enter to learn; go forth to serve
Mascot
Hootie the Owl
Type
Public liberal arts college
Division
Division III

Campus Visits

46 upcoming visits · Next: Fri, May 29 · Campus Tour

Plan Your Visit

Admission Office

229 Main Street, Keene, NH 03435

(603) 358-2276[email protected]
89%Acceptance
SAT Avg
2,680Students
16:1Student:Faculty
58%Grad Rate
$54,368Earnings 10yr
$19,164Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate89.1%

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Admissions

Test-OptionalTracks InterestOn-Campus Interviews

Application Platforms

Common AppUniversity System of New Hampshire App

Early Action

November 15

Decision by mid-December

Regular Decision

April 1

Decision by rolling

Financial Aid

Need-Blind Meets 100% NeedMerit Scholarships

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition (in-state)$14,710
Tuition (out-of-state)$26,186
Room & Board$13,860
Books & Supplies$1,000
Total Cost of Attendance$29,524
Average Net Price$19,164
Median Debt at Graduation$25,749
Monthly Payment (10yr)$273

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$11,111
$30–48K$14,049
$48–75K$15,816
$75–110K$20,423
$110K+$24,020

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

32.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

2.9%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$19,500

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

17

Peer Average

13

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus police, emergency alert system, blue-light phones

Incident Breakdown (2024)

4

Burglary

1

Aggravated Assault

0

Robbery

1

Motor Vehicle Theft

2

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

5

Drug Arrests

4

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Academics

Semester
Majors
40
Avg class size
20
Student-faculty ratio
13:1
Study abroad
20%

Programs (73)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

78%

Mixed

Campus Life

Organizations
70+
Varsity teams
17
NCAA Division IIILittle East ConferenceNo Greek Life

Housing & Residential Life

first-two-years

Housing Styles

Traditional residence hallsSuite-styleApartment-styleLiving-learning communities

Dining

Holloway CommonsDietary Options

Student Body

Undergrads
2,680
Gender Split
53% / 47%
Women / Men
First Generation
23%
Pell Grant Recipients
24%

Race & Ethnicity

White 85%
Black 2%
Hispanic 5%
Asian 1%
Two+ 3%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate58.4%
Freshman Retention78.5%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$46,649
10 Years$54,368

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

After Graduation

Top Employers

Local school districtsHealthcare providersTechnology companies

Rankings

U.S. News
#9
vs 2024
Washington Monthly
#34
vs 2024

More About This School

Varsity Sports

And womenSoccerCollege worldCrossCross country

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

108Above Average

Estimated from NH state average

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 60"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Bostonpop. 675K
73 mi(127 min)
New Yorkpop. 8.3M
177 mi(307 min)
Philadelphiapop. 1.6M
254 mi(440 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

MHT Manchester-Boston43 mi
BDL Hartford Bradley71 mi
BOS Boston Logan75 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA73 mi · ~2h 7m drive
New York, NY177 mi · ~5h 7m drive
Hartford, CT83 mi · ~2h 24m drive
Providence, RI88 mi · ~2h 33m drive
Albany, NY77 mi · ~2h 13m drive
Syracuse, NY196 mi · ~5h 40m drive
Rochester, NY270 mi · ~7h 48m drive
Buffalo, NY334 mi · ~9h 39m drive
Philadelphia, PA254 mi · ~7h 20m drive
Pittsburgh, PA433 mi · ~12h 31m drive
Harrisburg, PA300 mi · ~8h 40m drive
Newark, NJ180 mi · ~5h 12m drive
Trenton, NJ226 mi · ~6h 32m drive
Central (cold winters, warm summers)

Getting Around

Walkability

Compact campus within walking distance of downtown Keene

Visit Planning

Nearby Attractions

Downtown Keenewalkable

Charming New England downtown with shops, restaurants, and Colonial Theatre

Ashuelot River Parkwalkable

Riverside park with walking trails and recreation

Mount Monadnock

One of most-climbed mountains in the world, popular hiking destination

Chesterfield Gorge

Natural gorge with hiking trails and waterfalls

Pisgah State Park

New Hampshire's largest undeveloped state park with trails and wilderness

Transfer Admission

International Students

English Proficiency Requirements

TOEFL iBT61
IELTS6.0

Deadline Calendar

Keene State College Application Checklist

Decision Notifications