College Trends

Public universities in Kentucky

The College Scorecard lists 8 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Kentucky, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 84,784 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $11,857 a year, lower than the $14,226 median for public universities nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $49,684 at the median institution, lower than the $58,635 median for public universities nationwide. The median graduation rate is 55.1%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
8
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
84,784
Median net priceiAverage yearly cost for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. The figure here is the median across schools.
$11,857
U.S.: $14,226
Median earnings, 10 yrsiMedian earnings of former students who received federal aid, 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$49,684
U.S.: $58,635
Median debtiMedian federal student-loan balance of graduates. Excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$19,500
U.S.: $19,500
Median grad rateiShare of full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time (6 years for a 4-year degree, 3 years for a 2-year degree). The figure here is the median across schools.
55.1%
U.S.: 51.6%

Compare all public universities in Kentucky on one chart

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for Kentucky. Showing 8 of 8 public universities in Kentucky; schools missing either value are left out.

All 8 public universities in Kentucky

University of Kentucky
Lexington
24,763$18,868$13,907$35,164$63,924$19,50071.7%86.8%92.9%
University of Louisville
Louisville
14,727$14,960$13,390$29,736$60,032$19,50060.1%81.5%79.4%
Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond
12,318$11,925$10,740$12,300$50,885$20,50050.9%76.9%77.6%
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green
12,155$11,789$12,072$27,000$48,408$19,50055.9%78.3%93.9%
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights
8,246$8,976$11,496$22,752$55,024$20,75054.4%75.5%67.7%
Murray State University
Murray
6,688$7,350$10,320$20,676$48,482$19,50059.9%75.6%85.7%
Morehead State University
Morehead
4,578$9,912$10,444$15,614$47,134$18,75048.2%65.0%77.2%
Kentucky State University
Frankfort
1,309$17,637$9,807$14,147$42,650$27,00029.7%63.7%96.1%
Showing 8 of 8. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: public universities in Kentucky

How many public universities are in Kentucky?
The College Scorecard lists 8 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Kentucky.
What do public universities in Kentucky cost?
Across the 8 schools that report it, the median average net price is $11,857 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $7,350 at Murray State University to $18,868 at University of Kentucky.
Which public universities in Kentucky have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: Murray State University ($7,350), Northern Kentucky University ($8,976), Morehead State University ($9,912), Western Kentucky University ($11,789), and Eastern Kentucky University ($11,925).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at public universities in Kentucky?
The median published in-state tuition is $11,118 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $21,714. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of public universities in Kentucky earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $49,684 10 years after starting college (8 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at University of Kentucky ($63,924), University of Louisville ($60,032), and Northern Kentucky University ($55,024).
What is the graduation rate at public universities in Kentucky?
The median graduation rate is 55.1%, across 8 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of public universities in Kentucky have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $19,500 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

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Other college types in Kentucky

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How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.