2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Kentucky
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for general education students.
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2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Kentucky
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Education Schools
Northern Kentucky University tops our 2026 list of the best value general education schools in Kentucky. Located in the suburb of Highland Heights, Northern Kentucky University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,088 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,912. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $25,572. Early-career general education graduates make about $52,565. Set against $25,572 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Morehead State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general education, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Morehead, Morehead State University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,024, while out-of-state students pay about $14,980. General Education graduates carry a median of $25,896 in student loans. General Education graduates of Morehead State University earn a median of $42,193 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Midway College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general education, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Midway, Midway College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $19,110. Students borrow a median of $26,723 to complete the general education program here. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Midway College generally make around $45,850. That is a strong return on a $26,723 median debt. Midway College admits about 95% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Union College Kentucky earned it the #4 place for general education. Located in the town of Barbourville, Union College Kentucky is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $30,946. Students borrow a median of $27,852 to complete the general education program here. Early-career general education graduates make about $63,402. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Union College Kentucky admits about 63% of applicants.
More General Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
