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University of Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky · Public · 4-year · City

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At a glance

Average net price
$18,851What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate
93%
Graduation rate
71%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates
24,763
In-state tuition
$13,502Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition
$34,140
SAT midpoint
1,207
Median earnings, 10 yrs
$59,025Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against public 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$18,851

Better than 18% of public 4-year colleges (565 compared).

Completion

71%

Better than 85% of public 4-year colleges (566 compared).

Earnings

$59,025

Better than 64% of public 4-year colleges (590 compared).

Debt at graduation

$22,500

Better than 31% of public 4-year colleges (588 compared).

What these ratings are based on
Affordability
Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion
Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings
Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation
Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity
A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$34,391

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$18,851

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?
Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for University of Kentucky
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time71%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return87%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed$22,500
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled$59,025

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at University of Kentucky by graduate earnings
MajorEarnings, 1 yrDegrees awarded
Computer Engineering$79,62043
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$78,00657
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$71,461387
Computer and Information Sciences, General$71,293156
Mechanical Engineering$68,448156
Civil Engineering$67,04498
Chemical Engineering$65,38983
Accounting and Related Services$59,474121
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions$59,28246
Finance and Financial Management Services$58,422327
Landscape Architecture$52,8419
Agricultural Engineering$51,86419
Business/Managerial Economics$51,08176
Business/Commerce, General$49,431392
Information Science/Studies$49,16563
Marketing$48,100385
Health and Medical Administrative Services$46,47736
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication$45,275134
Biotechnology$43,03058
Design and Applied Arts$42,16825
Economics$41,71344
Agricultural Business and Management$41,50842
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$41,31290
Special Education and Teaching$41,21714
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other$39,65717
Communication and Media Studies$39,311190
Mathematics$39,21139
Architecture$37,07810
Public Health$36,95791
Journalism$36,92648
Social Work$36,31281
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$36,11756
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$35,282274
Agricultural Production Operations$35,16759
Sociology$34,92235
Political Science and Government$34,745112
Agricultural Public Services$34,49544
Apparel and Textiles$34,31557
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$33,70053
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$33,030108
Forestry$32,57313
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General$31,46416
Biology, General$31,360205
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General$29,52926
Psychology, General$28,551276
History$28,43245
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication$28,21516
Hospitality Administration/Management$27,80919
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services$27,44929
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services$27,44713
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management$27,32323
Animal Sciences$27,14448
Visual and Performing Arts, General$26,34368
International/Globalization Studies$26,10428
Anthropology$25,66826
English Language and Literature, General$21,40457
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$20,93721
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General$19,37093
Music$17,04030
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesNot reported52
ChemistryNot reported46
Architectural Sciences and TechnologyNot reported33
Fine and Studio ArtsNot reported25
Business Administration, Management and OperationsNot reported24
Applied MathematicsNot reported19
Mining and Mineral EngineeringNot reported19
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition ServicesNot reported18
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported18
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringNot reported18
PhilosophyNot reported17
Nutrition SciencesNot reported16
Materials EngineeringNot reported15
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group StudiesNot reported14
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesNot reported13
Geography and CartographyNot reported11
Plant SciencesNot reported11
Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesNot reported11
Physics and AstronomyNot reported10
Area StudiesNot reported9
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsNot reported7
Public Policy AnalysisNot reported7
Food Science and TechnologyNot reported6
DanceNot reported5
Family and Consumer Economics and Related StudiesNot reported4
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherNot reported1
PhysicsNot reportedNot reported
Botany/Plant BiologyNot reportedNot reported
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
Zoology/Animal BiologyNot reportedNot reported
Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsNot reportedNot reported
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsNot reportedNot reported

All 93 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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