Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State University's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 19% of degree output — a concentration consistent with the university's applied-professional identity. Engineering represents 12% of graduates and Education accounts for 6%, rounding out a portfolio that leans toward workforce-aligned fields.

Across Psychology, General (448 graduates), Business Administration (290 graduates), and Mechanical Engineering (259 graduates), the university channels large cohorts into fields with direct employer pipelines in the Atlanta metro and across Georgia. The highest four-year earnings at Kennesaw State University come from Mechanical Engineering, where graduates earn median earnings of $88,860 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #135 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Nursing follows with median earnings of $87,935, and Azimuth ranks the program #153 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Artificial Intelligence program graduates 229 students annually and earns median earnings of $83,249, while The Accounting program graduates 232 students with median earnings of $77,710.

These programs reflect the university's depth in health sciences and applied technology, where graduates enter the workforce directly and four-year earnings capture real labor-market outcomes. Teacher Education and Biology, General represent larger cohorts — 256 and 246 graduates respectively — with median earnings of $51,386 and $57,435.

These are high-mobility pathways where graduates move into accounting, finance, and management roles across a diversified regional economy. The [supply-demand map for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Kennesaw State University's business-heavy program portfolio aligns with national hiring patterns, and the [program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) explains how Azimuth evaluates individual programs. ```

Kennesaw State University's published cost of attendance is $24,008, but need-based aid meaningfully reduces what most families pay. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $12,235, while middle-income families pay around $15,185, and higher-income families pay approximately $19,309.

Azimuth ranks Kennesaw State University #441 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.

Georgia's state merit aid programs — including the [Hope Scholarships](https://www.kennesaw.edu/financial-aid/current-students/financial-aid/hope-scholarships/index.php) and the Zell Miller Scholarship — provide meaningful additional support for qualifying Georgia residents, layering on top of federal and institutional need-based aid. Work-study is also available as part of the aid structure, per the [financial aid page](https://www.kennesaw.edu/financial-aid/).

Together, these sources can substantially narrow the gap between published cost and what students actually pay, particularly for in-state families who qualify for merit aid. The [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is worth understanding here: sticker price and net price can diverge considerably depending on a student's financial and academic profile.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,833, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,000; 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 $68,306, median federal debt of $23,833 projects to a monthly payment of about $269 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/).