2027 Best Value Engineering Schools in Kentucky
[Engineering](/majors/engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Engineering Schools in Kentucky
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Engineering Schools
For return on investment in engineering, no school beat Bluegrass Community And Technical College this year. Bluegrass Community And Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Lexington. Students from in state pay about $4,808 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,512. Engineering graduates carry a median of $13,366 in student loans. Engineering graduates of Bluegrass Community And Technical College earn a median of $44,431 early in their careers. Set against $13,366 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Murray State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,900, compared with $19,836 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $19,521. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from Murray State University generally make around $58,025. That is a strong return on a $19,521 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
University Of The Cumberlands came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value engineering schools. Set in the town of Williamsburg, University Of The Cumberlands is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,875. Students borrow a median of $22,868 to complete the engineering program here. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from University Of The Cumberlands generally make around $50,547. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
Western Kentucky University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value engineering schools. Located in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,652, while out-of-state students pay about $27,000. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $22,232. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from Western Kentucky University generally make around $63,982. That is a strong return on a $22,232 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Louisville one of the best values for engineering. Set in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,136, while out-of-state students pay about $29,482. Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,119 in student loans. Engineering graduates of University Of Louisville earn a median of $73,350 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
University Of Kentucky placed #6 among the best values for engineering. Located in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,502 in tuition and fees, compared with $34,140 for out-of-state students. Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,672 in student loans. Early-career engineering graduates make about $71,242. That is a strong return on a $23,672 median debt. University Of Kentucky admits about 93% of applicants.
National College Lexington placed #7 among the best values for engineering. Set in the town of Louisville, National College Lexington is a small private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,484. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $22,431. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from National College Lexington generally make around $45,767. Set against $22,431 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Bellarmine University placed #8 among the best values for engineering. Set in the city of Louisville, Bellarmine University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $48,770. Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,766 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from Bellarmine University generally make around $46,024. That is a strong return on a $26,766 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
