US CollegesColleges in Kentucky: cost, admission and results
40 degree-granting colleges and universities in Kentucky, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are University of Kentucky (24,763 undergraduates), University of Louisville (14,727 undergraduates), Eastern Kentucky University (12,318 undergraduates).
Kentucky at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 40
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 8 / 26 / 6
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $17,370
- Median net price a year
- $17,637
- Median admission rate
- 80%
- Median graduation rate
- 49%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $48,071
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATA CollegeLouisville, KY · Private for-profit | not reported | $27,928 | 37% | $36,434 |
| Alice Lloyd CollegePippa Passes, KY · Private nonprofit | 75% | $18,367 | 41% | $47,366 |
| American National University-LouisvilleLouisville, KY · Private for-profit | not reported | $16,410 | 80% | $32,855 |
| Asbury Theological SeminaryWilmore, KY · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Asbury UniversityWilmore, KY · Private nonprofit | 63% | $21,061 | 65% | $49,862 |
| Beckfield College-FlorenceFlorence, KY · Private for-profit | not reported | $24,989 | 24% | $42,712 |
| Bellarmine UniversityLouisville, KY · Private nonprofit | 86% | $17,991 | 71% | $64,121 |
| Berea CollegeBerea, KY · Private nonprofit | 19% | $5,836 | 66% | $48,071 |
| Brescia UniversityOwensboro, KY · Private nonprofit | 35% | $14,909 | 49% | $49,034 |
| Campbellsville UniversityCampbellsville, KY · Private nonprofit | 80% | $17,734 | 34% | $44,606 |
| Centre CollegeDanville, KY · Private nonprofit | 54% | $19,980 | 79% | $66,582 |
| Clear Creek Baptist Bible CollegePineville, KY · Private nonprofit | not reported | $14,560 | 53% | $38,211 |
| Eastern Kentucky UniversityRichmond, KY · Public | 78% | $11,925 | 51% | $50,885 |
| Frontier Nursing UniversityVersailles, KY · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Galen College of Nursing-ARHHazard, KY · Private for-profit | not reported | $20,342 | 56% | $69,188 |
| Galen College of Nursing-LouisvilleLouisville, KY · Private for-profit | not reported | $4,058 | 44% | $69,188 |
| Georgetown CollegeGeorgetown, KY · Private nonprofit | 91% | $13,270 | 49% | $55,880 |
| Kentucky Christian UniversityGrayson, KY · Private nonprofit | 61% | $25,469 | 25% | $47,183 |
| Kentucky Mountain Bible CollegeJackson, KY · Private nonprofit | 100% | $6,392 | 62% | $39,068 |
| Kentucky State UniversityFrankfort, KY · Public | 96% | $17,637 | 30% | $42,650 |
| Kentucky Wesleyan CollegeOwensboro, KY · Private nonprofit | 72% | $19,409 | 46% | $52,218 |
| Lexington Theological SeminaryLexington, KY · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Lindsey Wilson UniversityColumbia, KY · Private nonprofit | not reported | $14,300 | 41% | $45,750 |
| Louisville Presbyterian Theological SeminaryLouisville, KY · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Midway UniversityMidway, KY · Private nonprofit | 95% | $29,981 | 45% | $47,169 |
| Morehead State UniversityMorehead, KY · Public | 77% | $9,912 | 48% | $47,134 |
| Murray State UniversityMurray, KY · Public | 86% | $7,350 | 60% | $48,482 |
| Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY · Public | 68% | $8,976 | 54% | $55,024 |
| Simmons College of KentuckyLouisville, KY · Private nonprofit | 100% | $15,522 | 27% | $29,057 |
| Spalding UniversityLouisville, KY · Private nonprofit | 99% | $24,262 | 45% | $55,738 |
| Sullivan UniversityLouisville, KY · Private for-profit | not reported | $28,420 | 24% | $42,383 |
| The Southern Baptist Theological SeminaryLouisville, KY · Private nonprofit | 56% | not reported | 48% | not reported |
| Thomas More UniversityCrestview Hills, KY · Private nonprofit | 90% | $22,723 | 49% | $63,897 |
| Transylvania UniversityLexington, KY · Private nonprofit | 87% | $21,954 | 65% | $57,381 |
| Union Commonwealth UniversityBarbourville, KY · Private nonprofit | 63% | $11,010 | 40% | $46,405 |
| University of KentuckyLexington, KY · Public | 93% | $18,868 | 72% | $63,924 |
| University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY · Public | 79% | $14,960 | 60% | $60,032 |
| University of PikevillePikeville, KY · Private nonprofit | not reported | $19,224 | 41% | $47,890 |
| University of the CumberlandsWilliamsburg, KY · Private nonprofit | 99% | $13,885 | 50% | $47,477 |
| Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green, KY · Public | 94% | $11,789 | 56% | $48,408 |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of Kentucky in brief
Of the 40 colleges listed for Kentucky, 8 are public, 26 are private nonprofit and 6 are private for-profit. By level, 30 mainly award bachelor's degrees, 6 mainly award two-year associate degrees and 4 mainly award graduate degrees. Together they teach about 122,119 undergraduates, 69% of them at public colleges. The three largest, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville and Eastern Kentucky University, hold 42% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 1,278 undergraduates. The towns with the most colleges are Louisville (10), Lexington (3) and Wilmore (2).
What college costs in Kentucky
At the public colleges, the median published tuition and fees are $11,118 a year for students from Kentucky and $21,714 for students from elsewhere. At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $30,034. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at Galen College of Nursing-Louisville ($4,058) and Berea College ($5,836) and the highest at Midway University ($29,981) and Sullivan University ($28,420). The median net price across the state, $17,637, is about the same as the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
27 of the 40 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are Berea College (19% admitted), Brescia University (35% admitted) and Centre College (54% admitted). 19 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 9 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at American National University-Louisville (80%), Centre College (79%) and University of Kentucky (72%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 49%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at Galen College of Nursing-ARH ($69,188), Galen College of Nursing-Louisville ($69,188) and Centre College ($66,582). The state median for that measure is $48,071, 10% below the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $21,324 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in Kentucky
How many colleges are there in Kentucky?
This site lists 40 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in Kentucky, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in Kentucky?
University of Kentucky in Lexington, with about 24,763 undergraduate students.
Which college in Kentucky has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, Galen College of Nursing-Louisville: students with federal aid paid an average of $4,058 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.