Bang for Your Buck: Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State University (KSU) is located less than an hour outside of Atlanta, GA. KSU is the third-largest university in Georgia and is home to a 350,000 pound sculpture entitled “Spaceship Earth”. The sculpture is in memory of the late environmentalist David Brower and reminds future generations to care for their planet. KSU is also one of 26 public institutions in the University System of Georgia, a government agency that dictates general policy, such as requiring all undergraduate students to pass an exam or complete a course on the history of the United States and Georgia.

Location: Kennesaw, GA

Undergraduate Enrollment: 35,846

Tuition: In-State: $6,347, Out-of-State: $17,329

General Education Requirements: All students must complete at least one course in composition, literature, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, natural science, world history, and fine arts.

Academic and Financial Highlights:

• KSU provides a rigorous mathematics requirement. All students must take two courses in mathematical modeling, college algebra, college trigonometry, statistics, pre-calculus, elementary applied calculus, calculus I, or calculus II. These courses provide students with necessary skills for everything from managing future finances to evaluating statistical information in the news.
• In-state tuition at KSU is several thousand dollars cheaper than in-state tuition at Georgia State University, at $9,112 per year, and the University of Georgia, at $11,818 per year. In-state tuition at KSU is more comparable to Georgia Southern University and Albany State University, which both hover around $6,000 per year.

ACTA’s Assessment: Georgia is home to a number of reputable public institutions, including KSU. A rich and thought-provoking general education program at KSU provides students with a foundational set of skills at a low cost. Skills such as writing, critical thinking, problem solving, and personal finance are applicable across an array of professions, benefitting students in their future work-lives.

Bang for Your Buck highlights affordable and academically rigorous colleges and universities across the nation. In an age when student debt accounts for more than $1.5 trillion, acquiring a useful set of skills at a reasonable price has never been more important for students entering an extremely competitive job market. Twice a month, ACTA recognizes a high-ranking institution from our What Will They Learn?^® project for its commitment to low tuition rates and serious academic study.