Public
Accredited · New England Commission on Higher Education
Keene, New Hampshire
89.1% Acceptance Rate
Keene State College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
89.1%Acceptance Rate
3.1Avg GPA
1070Avg SAT
$29,524Annual Cost
$54,368Grad Salary
23.7%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
89.1%
Avg GPA
3.1
Avg SAT
1070
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Branch Campus
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1030–1100
Avg Net Price
$19,164
Need-Based Aid
23.7% receive Pell
Keene State College is a public, liberal arts-focused institution in New Hampshire known for its supportive community and experiential learning approach. Admissions evaluate academic record and potential for engagement in a small-college environment. The college seeks students who are curious, self-motivated, and eager to participate in an environment that bridges rigorous liberal arts study with professional and career-oriented learning.
Successful applicants often show a history of being engaged in high school, whether through community service, arts, or academic clubs. The college values personal fit, so highlighting a student's desire for a personalized educational experience where they can work closely with professors and peers is a strong strategy. A successful application includes evidence of the student's readiness to take responsibility for their academic and professional development within a nurturing and collaborative environment.
Keene State College Acceptance Rate
Keene State College (KSC) runs an open-access admission policy. With a 89.1% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 89.1% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.10 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.90 – 3.09
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.65
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Keene State College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Keene State College follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
KSC reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (Priority scholarship: 2027/02/01) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
KSC GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at KSC is 3.1. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 2.80–3.1 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently. For an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.30–3.50.KSC GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.10 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.90 – 3.09
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.70 – 2.89
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.69
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Keene State is the only institution in the U.S. offering a four-year BA (major and minor) in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, alongside a graduate program and the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.
- Safety & Occupational Health Applied Sciences is the college's second-largest major, supported by a dedicated Technology, Design, and Safety (TDS) Center and its own Master's-level program.
- Keene State does not have on-campus ROTC; interested students must enroll through a cooperating host institution.
- Homeschooled applicants are actively recruited and reviewed similarly to traditional students, provided they submit a transcript with course descriptions meeting their home state's regulations.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at KSC
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Keene State College's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Keene State College (KSC) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if KSC is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into KSC Without SAT or ACT?
KSC neither requires nor recommends test scores. Submit yours only if it's above the state or national average. Otherwise, leaving it off works in your favor.
Keene State College Average SAT Score: 1070
The average SAT score of admitted students at Keene State College is 1070 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1070 — Accessible
This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a genuine advantage.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1100 SAT) to stand out. Below average? Keene State College allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1030, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at KSC. Retaking multiple times is completely normal. Most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | - | - | - |
| SAT Reading | - | - | - |
| SAT Composite | 1070 | 1030 | 1100 |
Below 1030, you're behind most admitted students; at 1100 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1050
Can I get into Keene State College (KSC) with a 1100 SAT?
A 1100 SAT puts you ahead of most of KSC's admitted class, but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for KSC
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
KSC takes a broad view of applicants. Your energy is best spent proving readiness for coursework and maximizing your financial aid package.
If aiming for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, name it explicitly in your essay
Keene State houses the only four-year BA (with major and minor) in Holocaust and Genocide Studies in the United States, alongside a graduate program and the Cohen Center - a genuinely singular offering nationally. A student interested in this field should reference it specifically and explain why this exact program (not just "history" or "social justice" broadly) draws them, since admissions and the department both benefit from knowing this is a deliberate, informed choice rather than a fallback major.
Safety & Occupational Health applicants: lean into the program's scale, not just interest
Safety & Occupational Health Applied Sciences is Keene State's second-largest major and has grown enough to support its own Master's program and a dedicated high-tech TDS (Technology, Design, and Safety) Center - this isn't a boutique offering but a flagship program with real institutional investment. A student should mention specific interest in the TDS Center's hands-on facilities or the ASSE student chapter's professional conference in their application materials, since this signals genuine program-level research rather than a generic safety-career interest.
Homeschoolers: submit a structured coursework-with-descriptions transcript, not a narrative summary
Keene State explicitly wants a transcript containing a list of coursework with descriptions from homeschooled applicants - not a general narrative of the student's homeschool experience. A homeschooling family should build this document methodically, one line per course with a short description, treating it as the functional equivalent of a traditional high school transcript rather than an essay-style account of the student's education.
Understand the New Start Program if readmission is ever relevant
Keene State's readmission process for students returning after academic suspension includes a specific "New Start Program" available after a full academic semester away, distinct from the standard "Continuation" readmission path - this is worth knowing upfront for any student with an interrupted academic record, since New Start status affects how the returning student's prior record factors into their standing. A prospective student or family with this situation should raise it directly with an admissions counselor rather than assuming standard readmission rules apply.
Expert Insight:
Because Keene State's test-optional, high-acceptance profile suggests a low-stakes application, families sometimes submit a thin or generic essay - but Keene reportedly does weigh the personal statement in review, and a student targeting a genuinely singular program like Holocaust and Genocide Studies or the large Safety & Occupational Health major loses real signal value by writing generically instead of naming the specific program and its distinctive resources.
KSC Profile
Full Name
Keene State College (KSC)
City
Keene
State
New Hampshire
ZIP Code
03435-1506
Type
Public
Campus
Branch Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE)
Is a KSC Degree Worth It?
KSC offers a rigorous academic environment, but 'worth it' is a personal calculation of cost, program fit, and outcomes. The figures below are a starting point.
The average household income among admitted students is $75,900, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.85%.
How much does a degree from KSC Cost?
The sticker price is $29,524/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is closer to $19,164.
23.7% of students receive a Pell Grant and 68.4% take federal loans at KSC. File your FAFSA early and list KSC as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a KSC Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $54,368. That's about 34% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Keene State College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 1055 | 21 |
| Marion Military Institute | Marion, AL | 1043 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 1049 | 21 |
| Arkansas Tech University | Russellville, AR | 1050 | 21 |
| Central Baptist College | Conway, AR | 1022 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton | Morrilton, AR | 1020 | 20 |
| Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | Magnolia, AR | 1050 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | Fort Smith, AR | 1050 | 21 |
| Western Connecticut State University | Danbury, CT | 1044 | 24 |
| Baptist University of Florida | Graceville, FL | 1045 | 20 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Keene State College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction, CO | 1070 | 23 |
| University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, CO | 1077 | 22 |
| Florida College | Temple Terrace, FL | 1068 | 19 |
| Piedmont University | Demorest, GA | 1074 | 21 |
| Shorter University | Rome, GA | 1075 | 20 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Keene State College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL | 1119 | 23 |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | 1121 | 22 |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, AR | 1119 | 22 |
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR | 1117 | 22 |
Degree Programs at KSC
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About KSC Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Keene State College run about $54,368 a year.
At about $29,524 a year, Keene State College is on the more affordable end.
Keene State College's Pell Grant rate of 23.7% sits below the national average. Merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 89.1%, Keene State College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Keene State College average a 3.1 GPA.
Keene State College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 2.8 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.7, Keene State College becomes a harder reach, though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at Keene State College — aim above 1070, ideally within the 1030–1100 range admitted students typically fall in.
Keene State College follows Rolling Admissions. Applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Priority scholarship: 2027/02/01. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes, transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most, along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.
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