This page compares the best colleges in Kentucky with tuition, admission, and more academic facts (Ranking data from College Evaluator). For the academic year 2021-2022, Berea College rank first in the best Kentucky college ranking and University of Kentucky is placed in second.
Admission Comparison Between Best Colleges in Kentucky
5 public and 5 private schools rank in the best Kentucky colleges. The schools' average acceptance rate is 79.50% where Berea College has the tightest (lowest) acceptance rate of 33% and Eastern Kentucky University has the highest rate of 98%. Total 100,939 students are attending one of the best Kentucky schools where University of Kentucky has the largest population with 29,986 students and Transylvania University has the smallest number of students (963 students). The average graduation rate is 61.70% and the average students to faculty ratio is 13.30:1 at those colleges.
| Rank | Name | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Graduation Rate | Population | Student-Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berea College Berea, KY | 33% | 1,180 | 67% | 1,432 | 10:1 (10.00 %) |
| 2 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KY | 96% | 1,175 | 66% | 29,986 | 16:1 (6.25 %) |
| 3 | Centre College Danville, KY | 72% | 1,220 | 83% | 1,333 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 4 | University of Louisville Louisville, KY | 65% | 1,160 | 60% | 22,211 | 14:1 (7.14 %) |
| 5 | Transylvania University Lexington, KY | 92% | 1,170 | 74% | 963 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 6 | Bellarmine University Louisville, KY | 82% | 1,150 | 64% | 3,293 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 7 | Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY | 87% | 1,075 | 47% | 16,211 | 19:1 (5.26 %) |
| 8 | Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY | 98% | 1,060 | 45% | 14,465 | 15:1 (6.67 %) |
| 9 | Spalding University Louisville, KY | 93% | 1,000 | 58% | 1,596 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 10 | Murray State University Murray, KY | 77% | 1,125 | 53% | 9,449 | 15:1 (6.67 %) |
| Average | 79.50% | 1,132 | 61.70% | 100,939 (Total) | 13.30:1 (7.52 %) |
Best Kentucky Colleges 2022 Tuition Comparison and 2023 Estimated Costs
The following table lists 2021-2022 tuition & fees and compares them between the best Kentucky colleges. The 2021-2022 costs are officially published by IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education. The estimated costs for the academic year 2022-2023 are calculated and estimated based on each school's rate of tuition change from 2021 to 2022.
For the undergraduate programs, the average tuition & fees of the best Kentucky colleges is $32,293 where Centre College has the most expensive costs at $46,000 and Murray State University has the lowest amount of tuition at $18,528. The average graduate tuition & fees of the best Kentucky colleges is $18,726 where University of Kentucky has the highest tuition with $33,548 and Spalding University has the lowest amount of graduate school tuition with $12,106.
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Berea College | $43,612 | $42,181 | ||
| 2 | University of Kentucky | $12,610 | $31,608 | $12,737 | $31,925 |
| 3 | Centre College | $46,000 | $47,765 | ||
| 4 | University of Louisville | $12,370 | $28,716 | $12,582 | $28,926 |
| 5 | Transylvania University | $42,520 | $43,450 | ||
| 6 | Bellarmine University | $44,920 | $46,418 | ||
| 7 | Northern Kentucky University | $10,392 | $20,448 | $10,489 | $20,642 |
| 8 | Eastern Kentucky University | $9,752 | $20,024 | $9,630 | $20,100 |
| 9 | Spalding University | $26,550 | $27,138 | ||
| 10 | Murray State University | $9,252 | $18,528 | $9,337 | $18,710 |
| Average | $10,875 | $32,293 | $10,955 | $32,725 | |
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Berea College | - | - | ||
| 2 | University of Kentucky | $13,674 | $33,548 | $13,674 | $13,811 |
| 3 | Centre College | - | - | ||
| 4 | University of Louisville | $13,725 | $27,839 | $13,725 | $13,994 |
| 5 | Transylvania University | - | - | ||
| 6 | Bellarmine University | $13,652 | $11,197 | ||
| 7 | Northern Kentucky University | $10,284 | $15,594 | $10,284 | $9,263 |
| 8 | Eastern Kentucky University | $10,200 | $13,800 | $10,200 | $9,956 |
| 9 | Spalding University | $12,106 | $11,929 | ||
| 10 | Murray State University | $9,882 | $14,544 | $9,882 | $10,996 |
| Average | $11,553 | $18,726 | $11,604 | $18,135 | |