Acceptance Rate
31%
Avg. SAT
1503
75th percentile
“Kenyon College invites you to a tight-knit intellectual haven on a remote Ohio hilltop, where poets roam the Middle Path and isolation sharpens your focus.”
Gambier, OH
Location
Rural
Campus Setting
Founded in 1824 by Episcopal Bishop Philander Chase, who pawned his family's farm and trekked west after a divine vision, Kenyon sits atop a steep hill in tiny Gambier, Ohio—a deliberate 45-minute drive from Columbus that keeps the world at bay. You'll thrive here if you're introspective, bookish, and crave deep conversations over bonfires, but you'll struggle if you need urban buzz, diverse nightlife, or easy escapes from campus. The school's personality radiates quirky rural charm: think ivy-draped Gothic buildings, a central brick walkway called the Middle Path where you'll dodge squirrels and slog through snow, and a legacy of literary giants that makes every English major feel like they're walking in Robert Lowell's footsteps. Tradeoffs hit hard—Gambier's population barely tops 800, so weekends mean house parties or road trips, and winters bury the hill in gray isolation that tests even the hardiest souls.
Photo Gallery
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In Kenyon's seminar-style classrooms, capped at 15 students thanks to the 9:1 ratio sharper than most liberal arts peers, professors like English whiz David Lynn push you to dissect poetry over coffee rather than lecture from podiums. The English department reigns supreme, birthplace of the influential Kenyon Review since 1939 and a hothouse for creative writing where you'll workshop alongside future novelists; sciences shine too, with undergrads sequencing DNA in modern labs or mapping Knox County's geology. Research abounds—half of juniors land summer grants—but the small size limits niche electives, so ambitious double-majors pivot to independent studies. Intellectual life pulses with nightly dorm debates and philosophy clubs, fostering thinkers who question everything, though you'll trade breadth for intimate rigor.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
2,249 undergrad • 0 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
58%
Black / African American
3%
Hispanic / Latino
6%
Asian
5%
Other / Multi-racial
28%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Gambier, OH
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
Picture your week: Monday philosophy seminar bleeds into Tuesday pickup soccer on the Peet fields, Wednesday open mic at the Bolton Theater, Thursday Hill Gulls (the quirky student humor mag) brainstorming session, and Friday bonfire sing-alongs that spark romances. Nearly all 1,900 undergrads live on campus in close-knit residence halls where freshmen bunk with seniors, building instant families amid traditions like the pre-dawn bagpiper reveille rousing Peet Hall sleepers. The vibe skews cerebral and collaborative—Greek life exists but plays second fiddle to 150 clubs—yet the social scene simmers with house parties fueled by smuggled Cleveland brews. Isolation breeds loyalty, but challenges loom: brutal Ohio winters confine you indoors, the rural bubble stifles outsiders craving city diversity, and the party circuit quiets after sophomore year as everyone hunkers into honors theses.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
North Coast Athletic Conference
ROTC & Veteran Support
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$13,244
$30K – $48K
$15,601
$48K – $75K
$18,962
$75K – $110K
$27,334
$110K+
$44,020
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
92%
4 Years Graduation Rate
81%
6 Years Graduation Rate
86%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$71,830
92% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Kenyon College and return in the fall. 81% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 86% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
81%
4-6 years
5%
Non-grad
14%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$66,240
Acceptance
31%
Undergrads
2,249
4-Year Grad Rate
81%
Endowment
$416M
Gambier, OH 43022
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