Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Kean University #141 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Kean University in the 59.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Kean University #119 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Kean University's composite ranking reflects a consistent pattern across multiple pillars — graduates outperform earnings expectations relative to similar students at comparable institutions, and the university's mobility standing underscores its effectiveness in serving a broad-access student population in northern New Jersey. The institution pairs public-tuition pricing with outcomes that place it well above the middle of the national distribution for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Kean University #143 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 90.4 percentile. The current structured profile shows retention at 76.1% and a six-year graduation rate of 46.6%. Return on investment ranks #824, with graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $59,472. Graduates earn about $329 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 59.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 76.5 percentile; published cost of attendance is $26,949, and the middle-income net price is $12,136. Access sits in the 92.7 percentile, with 47.9% receiving Pell Grants and 46.4% first-generation.
Kean University's published cost of attendance is $26,949, but need-based aid meaningfully reduces what most families pay. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $7,374, middle-income families pay around $12,136, and higher-income families pay approximately $20,110. Azimuth ranks Kean University #335 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. As a public university in New Jersey, Kean draws on a mix of federal, state, and institutional aid programs to reduce out-of-pocket costs for qualifying students. New Jersey's state grant programs, including the Tuition Aid Grant, provide meaningful support for in-state residents who demonstrate financial need, and the gap between sticker price and net price can be substantial for lower-income families. Families weighing the net price illusion — the difference between published and actual costs — will find that Kean's pricing structure rewards need-based eligibility more than headline figures suggest. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $22,000; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $59,472, median federal debt of $23,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $263 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Kean University is a strong fit for students in NJ and the broader Northeast who want an accessible public university with a clear path to solid post-graduation earnings, particularly those drawn to business, education, and applied professional fields. Graduates earn in the 44.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Kean University sits in the 59.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, a meaningful signal for students weighing long-term return on investment. The access profile is broad. 47.9% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 46.4% are first-generation college students, and Kean University delivers completion outcomes — 55.1% of Pell-eligible students graduate — that reflect a genuine institutional commitment to seeing cost-sensitive and first-generation students through to a degree. Median student debt at graduation is $23,250, a figure that shapes the affordability calculus alongside net price. Fit depends on two realistic filters: Kean University's program mix centers on Business and related applied fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, while those seeking deep STEM or research-intensive tracks may find a different institutional profile better suited to their goals.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Kean University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Kean University's published cost of attendance is $26,949, but need-based aid meaningfully reduces what most families pay. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $7,374, middle-income families pay around $12,136, and higher-income families pay approximately $20,110.
Azimuth ranks Kean University #335 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
As a public university in New Jersey, Kean draws on a mix of federal, state, and institutional aid programs to reduce out-of-pocket costs for qualifying students. New Jersey's state grant programs, including the Tuition Aid Grant, provide meaningful support for in-state residents who demonstrate financial need, and the gap between sticker price and net price can be substantial for lower-income families.
Families weighing the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — the difference between published and actual costs — will find that Kean's pricing structure rewards need-based eligibility more than headline figures suggest. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $22,000; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $59,472, median federal debt of $23,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $263 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Kean University earn median 4-year earnings of $59,472, placing Kean University in the 44.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $329 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 59.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Kean University #824 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.
Psychology, General reports 359 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $51,052, ranked #144 nationally in its major. Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 281 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $65,332, ranked #189 nationally in its major.
Biology, General reports 218 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $61,291, ranked #116 nationally in its major. Criminal Justice and Corrections reports 155 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $58,644, ranked #51 nationally in its major.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oakland University Similar quality tier (#4290 ranked) | MI | 88% | $58,612 | #4290 | Compare |
Morgan State University Similar quality tier (#4289 ranked) | MD | 82% | $50,698 | #4289 | Compare |
Metropolitan State University Similar quality tier (#4299 ranked) | MN | 99% | $64,705 | #4299 | Compare |
Indiana University-Indianapolis Similar quality tier (#4287 ranked) | IN | 76% | $55,198 | #4287 | Compare |
North Carolina A & T State University Similar quality tier (#4301 ranked) | NC | 50% | $44,440 | #4301 | Compare |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
41 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
59 graduates
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
63 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
104 graduates
Science Technologies/Technicians, Other
37 graduates
Kean University's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 23% of degree output, followed by Education at 8% and Arts at 6%. That applied-professional concentration shapes the institution's earnings profile: the largest programs skew toward fields with direct workforce entry points rather than grad-school-dependent pathways.
Psychology, General is the largest program with 359 graduates, followed by Business Administration (281 graduates), Biology, General (218 graduates), Criminal Justice (155 graduates), and Communication and Media Studies (128 graduates). Business Administration combines strong enrollment scale with solid earnings, making it the program that contributes most to Kean University's aggregate return.
Among the highest-earning programs, Accounting leads with median earnings of $72,446 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #138 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Finance follows with median earnings of $65,415, and Azimuth ranks it #166 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The Business Administration program graduates 281 students and earns $65,332, while Digital Marketing earns $61,602 — both reflecting the applied-business and health-services strengths in Kean University's portfolio. Programs like Accounting are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and four-year earnings reflect actual labor-market outcomes.
Biology, General, by contrast, is more likely a grad-school-dependent pathway where four-year earnings undercount the lifetime trajectory of graduates who continue to clinical or advanced study. Across 37 programs serving roughly 2,424 students annually, 28 meet Azimuth's [ranking threshold](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) — a breadth that gives students meaningful choice across applied fields while keeping the institution's overall earnings signature grounded in business and health-adjacent disciplines.
The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides additional context for how these program families align with national labor-market demand. ```
