Colleges in Kentucky
29 colleges in Kentucky that award bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates: 8 public and 21 private. Among colleges where most degrees awarded are bachelor's, the lowest average net price is at Berea College ($6,106 a year after grants). Numbers are averages for students receiving federal aid; open a school to see what a family at your income pays.
| College | City | Type | Undergrads | Acceptance | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alice Lloyd College | Pippa Passes | Private | 558 | 75% | $18,600 | 39% | $40,573 |
| Asbury University | Wilmore | Private | 1,420 | 63% | $21,401 | 65% | $42,368 |
| Bellarmine University | Louisville | Private | 2,161 | 86% | $21,499 | 64% | $62,069 |
| Berea College | Berea | Private | 1,513 | 19% | $6,106 | 58% | $43,150 |
| Brescia University | Owensboro | Private | 545 | 35% | $8,709 | 54% | $45,500 |
| Campbellsville University | Campbellsville | Private | 2,840 | 80% | $19,341 | 42% | $41,583 |
| Centre College | Danville | Private | 1,400 | 54% | $20,781 | 81% | $66,240 |
| Clear Creek Baptist Bible College | Pineville | Private | 159 | — | $10,949 | 38% | $41,623 |
| Eastern Kentucky University | Richmond | Public | 12,318 | 78% | $11,040 | 50% | $45,795 |
| Georgetown College | Georgetown | Private | 1,097 | 91% | $14,095 | 49% | $52,074 |
| Kentucky Christian University | Grayson | Private | 429 | 61% | $24,038 | 37% | $42,375 |
| Kentucky State University | Frankfort | Public | 1,309 | 96% | $8,040 | 32% | $36,382 |
| Kentucky Wesleyan College | Owensboro | Private | 842 | 72% | $17,131 | 47% | $46,747 |
| Lindsey Wilson College | Columbia | Private | 1,585 | — | $15,070 | 44% | $41,129 |
| Midway University | Midway | Private | 1,262 | 95% | $29,579 | 41% | $44,246 |
| Morehead State University | Morehead | Public | 4,578 | 77% | $9,793 | 52% | $43,197 |
| Murray State University | Murray | Public | 6,688 | 86% | $9,096 | 61% | $44,737 |
| Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights | Public | 8,246 | 68% | $8,191 | 52% | $50,220 |
| Simmons College of Kentucky | Louisville | Private | 481 | 100% | $18,434 | 14% | — |
| Spalding University | Louisville | Private | 583 | 99% | $25,491 | 52% | $49,438 |
| The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary | Louisville | Private | 848 | 56% | — | 40% | — |
| Thomas More University | Crestview Hills | Private | 1,293 | 90% | $21,835 | 41% | $59,384 |
| Transylvania University | Lexington | Private | 1,005 | 87% | $21,913 | 71% | $54,705 |
| Union Commonwealth University | Barbourville | Private | 746 | 63% | $21,311 | 32% | $42,002 |
| University of Kentucky | Lexington | Public | 24,763 | 93% | $18,851 | 71% | $59,025 |
| University of Louisville | Louisville | Public | 14,727 | 79% | $17,988 | 61% | $53,899 |
| University of Pikeville | Pikeville | Private | 1,135 | — | $20,311 | 42% | $48,231 |
| University of the Cumberlands | Williamsburg | Private | 6,941 | 99% | $14,107 | 50% | $45,036 |
| Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green | Public | 12,155 | 94% | $10,990 | 56% | $43,889 |
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, latest reported year. Graduation within 6 years; earnings are the median 10 years after starting college.
Best value in Kentucky for your income
The Kentucky colleges that pay back fastest for a family at your income: what it costs to finish after grants, set against how much more former students earn than high school graduates in Kentucky. Pick your income.
| # | College | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Earnings, 10 yrs | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Kentucky UniversityPublic, in-state price | $6,761 | $29,546 | $50,220 | 1.8 |
| 2 | Centre CollegePrivate | $15,847 | $64,339 | $66,240 | 2.0 |
| 3 | Georgetown CollegePrivate | $9,797 | $40,364 | $52,074 | 2.2 |
| 4 | Bellarmine UniversityPrivate | $17,391 | $71,999 | $62,069 | 2.5 |
| 5 | University of KentuckyPublic, in-state price | $16,313 | $69,493 | $59,025 | 2.7 |
| 6 | Murray State UniversityPublic, in-state price | $8,104 | $34,685 | $44,737 | 3.1 |
| 7 | Thomas More UniversityPrivate | $18,429 | $79,245 | $59,384 | 3.1 |
| 8 | University of LouisvillePublic, in-state price | $16,419 | $71,423 | $53,899 | 3.5 |
| 9 | Berea CollegePrivate | $8,132 | $35,374 | $43,150 | 3.7 |
| 10 | Eastern Kentucky UniversityPublic, in-state price | $10,382 | $44,954 | $45,795 | 3.7 |
Colleges where most degrees awarded are bachelor's, ranked by years of earnings gain needed to repay the cost to finish at this income. Cost to finish = net price after grants × the average years graduates took (IPEDS). Earnings gain = former students' median earnings 10 years after starting (College Scorecard) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in Kentucky (Census ACS 2020-2024). Before taxes, interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
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