Kentucky State University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Kentucky State University charges a net price of $8,040/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $32,160. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,382, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Kentucky State University does not clear its cost — it ranks #35 of 51 Kentucky colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,040/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $32,160 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,382 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,978/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,938 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$271,720 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Kentucky State University's own numbers. Net price $8,040 × 4 years = $32,160 total. Median earnings $36,382 fall $11,978 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $32,160 bill in about 3.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Kentucky State University students graduate with?
A median $25,938 in federal loans among completers, or 71% of the $36,382 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Kentucky State University students graduate?
32% finish their degree — 68% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $32,160 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $100,500 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Kentucky State University expensive compared with other Kentucky colleges?
Its $8,040 net price runs $6,067 below the $14,107 median across the 51 Kentucky colleges we profile, and $24,268 less across the full degree.