Best colleges in Kentucky, ranked by ROI

Name: Kentucky colleges — cost, earnings and ROI rankings
Creator: Degree Dividend

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

We rank all 51 Kentucky institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $14,107/yr (below the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $41,129 ten years out (below the $43,549 national median). Galen College of Nursing-ARH leads, clearing its cost in 3.2 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$14,107

Median net price / yr

Scorecard, 2026

$41,129

Median earnings, 10 yrs

Scorecard, 2026

7.9 yrs

Median payback

Our math, 2026

Colleges ranked

degreedividend.com

Kentucky colleges by payback (best first)

#	College	Net price/yr	Earnings 10y	Payback
1	Galen College of Nursing-ARH	$21,164	$61,480	3.2 yrs
2	Centre College	$20,781	$66,240	4.6 yrs
3	Galen College of Nursing-Louisville	$18,540	$61,480	5.7 yrs
4	Bellarmine University	$21,499	$62,069	6.3 yrs
5	University of Kentucky	$18,851	$59,025	7.1 yrs
6	Thomas More University	$21,835	$59,384	7.9 yrs
7	University of Louisville	$17,988	$53,899	13 yrs
8	Transylvania University	$21,913	$54,705	13.8 yrs
9	Georgetown College	$14,095	$52,074	15.2 yrs
10	Northern Kentucky University	$8,191	$50,220	17.6 yrs
11	Spalding University	$25,491	$49,438	94.6 yrs
12	University of Pikeville	$20,311	$48,231	no payback
13	Brescia University	$8,709	$45,500	no payback
14	Eastern Kentucky University	$11,040	$45,795	no payback
15	Kentucky Wesleyan College	$17,131	$46,747	no payback
16	Murray State University	$9,096	$44,737	no payback
17	University of the Cumberlands	$14,107	$45,036	no payback
18	Berea College	$6,106	$43,150	no payback
19	Western Kentucky University	$10,990	$43,889	no payback
20	Morehead State University	$9,793	$43,197	no payback
21	Midway University	$29,579	$44,246	no payback
22	Lindsey Wilson University	$15,070	$41,129	no payback
23	Asbury University	$21,401	$42,368	no payback
24	Union Commonwealth University	$21,311	$42,002	no payback
25	Campbellsville University	$19,341	$41,583	no payback
26	Kentucky Christian University	$24,038	$42,375	no payback
27	Jefferson Community and Technical College	$6,376	$38,171	no payback
28	Alice Lloyd College	$18,600	$40,573	no payback
29	Sullivan University	$25,532	$38,008	no payback
30	Hopkinsville Community College	$5,875	$36,323	no payback
31	Bluegrass Community and Technical College	$6,113	$36,343	no payback
32	Elizabethtown Community and Technical College	$5,143	$36,143	no payback
33	Gateway Community and Technical College	$5,725	$36,147	no payback
34	Henderson Community College	$4,232	$35,714	no payback
35	Kentucky State University	$8,040	$36,382	no payback
36	Madisonville Community College	$5,406	$35,733	no payback
37	Owensboro Community and Technical College	$5,800	$35,798	no payback
38	Beckfield College-Florence	$28,133	$37,114	no payback
39	West Kentucky Community and Technical College	$5,353	$34,891	no payback
40	Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College	$3,537	$34,242	no payback
41	Ashland Community and Technical College	$5,717	$34,504	no payback
42	Big Sandy Community and Technical College	$3,873	$32,954	no payback
43	ATA College	$28,611	$34,577	no payback
44	Maysville Community and Technical College	$4,605	$32,194	no payback
45	Somerset Community College	$4,398	$30,787	no payback
46	Hazard Community and Technical College	$2,955	$29,868	no payback
47	Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College	$3,731	$29,482	no payback
48	American National University-Louisville	$17,010	$28,188	no payback
49	Paul Mitchell the School-Louisville	$29,401	$28,449	no payback
50	Employment Solutions-College for Technical Education	$22,871	$20,156	no payback
51	PJ's College of Cosmetology-Bowling Green	$26,577	$20,392	no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in Kentucky: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in Kentucky?

Galen College of Nursing-ARH. It charges $21,164/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $61,480 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 3.2 years — the fastest payback of the 51 Kentucky colleges we track.

How much does college cost in Kentucky?

The median net price across Kentucky colleges is $14,107/yr after grants and scholarships — below the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.

What do Kentucky college graduates earn?

A median $41,129 ten years after entry (Scorecard), below the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.

How many Kentucky colleges pay for themselves?

11 of the 51 Kentucky colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.