College Profiles/ Kenyon College
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Kenyon College Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Gambier, OH · 1,732 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Kenyon College for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Kenyon College admitted 31.0% of first-year applicants.[1] The 2025-2026 cost of attendance is $96,940.[2] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 15, Early Decision II Jan 15, Regular Decision Jan 15.[3]
31.0%
Overall admit rate[1]
31 to 34
Middle 50% ACT[4]
$96,940
Cost of attendance, 2025-2026[2]
85.6%
Six-year graduation rate[4]
Kenyon College at a Glance
- Location
- Gambier, OH
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 9:1[5]
- Endowment
- $627 million (federal data)[1]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition (Scoir)[3]
- First-year retention
- 91.0%[4]
The ConnectPrep Take on Kenyon College
The ConnectPrep take
Kenyon wants students who are bright, unafraid to ask questions and well informed, achievers who are also creative and value community. It favors a full five-subject core with honors, AP or IB courses where available, and it recommends an interview. Federal data shows a 31.0% admit rate. Your student can commit through ED I on Nov 15, or ED II on Jan 15, the same day as Regular Decision. Kenyon labels its test optional policy temporary, a reason to prepare. With a middle 50% ACT of 31 to 34, we advise submitting at 33 or above and aiming for 34. Merit awards of $15,000 to $35,000 a year are automatic. The mistake we see is treating access and talent scholarships as automatic; KEEP and STEM Scholars need separate forms by Dec 6 for ED I.
What to do this fall
- Schedule the recommended interview and build the senior schedule around a full five-subject core with honors, AP or IB courses.
- File KEEP or STEM Scholars forms by Dec 6 for ED I, Jan 31 for ED II, or Feb 19 for RD.
- Writers, musicians and studio artists submit talent scholarship forms and portfolios by Jan 20.
- Submit an ACT of 33 or above, or SAT sections near 740 in reading and 765 in math.
Applying to Kenyon College? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Kenyon College Admissions Statistics
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[4] |
700 to 740 |
| SAT Math[4] |
680 to 765 |
| ACT composite[4] |
31 to 34 |
The admit rate on this page comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, which reports an earlier entering class than the school’s newest Common Data Set.[1]
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 740 in Reading and Writing and 765 in Math, the 75th percentile for each section here, or 34 on the ACT. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Kenyon College looks for
In its own words: Kenyon looks for students who are bright, unafraid to ask questions, and well informed, and who are achievers but also creative and know the value of community. It favors a full five-subject core curriculum with honors, AP, or IB courses where available, and recommends but does not require an interview.[6]
Kenyon College Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 15 |
mid-Dec (ED I); mid-Feb (ED II) |
| Early Decision II |
Jan 15 |
|
| Regular Decision |
Jan 15 |
mid-Mar |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Kenyon College’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| KEEP Scholarship |
Dec 6 (ED I); Jan 31 (ED II); Feb 19 (RD) |
KEEP requires the admission application plus a separate scholarship form; covers loans and work study for four years and includes a summer program. RD form date of Feb 19 is preferred, not firm.[7] |
| STEM Scholarship |
Dec 6 (ED I); Jan 31 (ED II); Feb 19 (RD) |
Separate scholarship form for socioeconomically disadvantaged students interested in STEM; eliminates loans and work study and includes a summer program.[8] |
| Music Scholarship |
Jan 20 |
Separate form and recorded audition materials due Jan 20 via the Kenyon portal; selected finalists audition on campus Feb 7 to 9. Worth $25,000 a year.[9] |
| Studio Art Scholarship and Writing Award |
Jan 20 |
Separate scholarship form plus a portfolio (10 artwork images for studio art; 5 pages of creative writing for the Writing Award) due Jan 20. ED applicants are eligible.[10] |
| CSS Profile and tax documents |
Nov 15 (ED I); Jan 15 (ED II, RD) |
CSS Profile (code 1370) and tax documents due Nov 15 for ED I; FAFSA Jan 15. Submissions up to ten days late count as on time.[11] |
| Ohio Full-Tuition Scholarships |
See note |
Five full-tuition awards a year for top Ohio applicants; requires a separate application through the admissions registration form. Page lists no specific deadline.[12] |
| Merit scholarships |
See note |
All first-year ED and RD applicants are considered automatically for merit awards of $15,000 to $35,000 a year.[13] |
See how Kenyon College compares with other colleges in the Midwest deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Kenyon College Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2025-2026)[2] |
$96,940 |
| Average share of need met[14] |
100.0% |
Estimated 2025-26 cost of attendance for a resident student, including direct costs, books and personal expenses, and transportation. For 2026-27 the comprehensive fee is $93,090, including tuition of $72,880.[2]
- Kenyon College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[14]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[1]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$18,242 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$26,319 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$19,156 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$23,757 |
| Over $110,000 |
$51,432 |
| All aided students |
$38,512 |
Academics and Majors at Kenyon College
Signature programs
Writing at Kenyon
Kenyon's academics emphasize that good writing is good thinking, and the Kenyon Review is one of the college's affiliates.[5]
Student research from year one
Kenyon says research opportunities begin in a student's first year.[5]
Brown Family Environmental Center
Listed among Kenyon's affiliates on its academics page.[5]
Faculty advising model
In 1841 Kenyon became the first U.S. institution to introduce the model of professors serving as academic advisors.[5]
Merit scholarships
Applicants are automatically considered for merit awards ranging from $15,000 to $35,000 a year.[14]
Choosing a major and getting in
Kenyon offers 50 majors, minors and concentrations combined.[5]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision 1 and Early Decision 2.[15]
- Automatic merit scholarship consideration.[15]
Kenyon College Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[4] |
91.0% |
| Graduated within four years[4] |
80.1% |
| Graduated within six years[4] |
85.6% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[1] |
$71,830 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[1] |
$18,527 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[1] |
10% |
Make Kenyon College a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
Compare Similar Colleges
Kenyon College FAQs
What is the Kenyon College acceptance rate?
Kenyon College admitted 31.0% of first-year applicants.
When are the Kenyon College application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 15; Early Decision II Jan 15; Regular Decision Jan 15.
How much does Kenyon College cost?
The 2025-2026 cost of attendance is $96,940. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What does Kenyon cost for a family earning under $75,000?
Federal data shows an average net price of $19,156 for families earning $48,001 to $75,000 and $18,242 for families earning $30,000 or less. Kenyon meets 100% of demonstrated need, and its comprehensive fee is $93,090. File the CSS Profile by Nov 15 for ED I; submissions up to ten days late count as on time.
Does Kenyon offer merit scholarships?
Yes. All first-year ED and RD applicants are considered automatically for merit awards of $15,000 to $35,000 a year. Separate applications apply to talent awards, including a Music Scholarship worth $25,000 a year, and to five Ohio Full-Tuition Scholarships for top Ohio applicants. Talent forms and portfolios are due Jan 20.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Kenyon College. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
