2026 Best Value Athletic Training Schools in Kentucky
[Athletic Training](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/athletic-training/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for athletic training students.
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2026 Best Value Athletic Training Schools in Kentucky
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in athletic training, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Athletic Training Schools
For return on investment in athletic training, no school beat Northern Kentucky University this year. Northern Kentucky University is a large public school located in the suburb of Highland Heights. Students from in state pay about $11,088 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,912. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $30,103 in student loans. Athletic Training graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn a median of $52,094 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northern Kentucky University admits about 68% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Eastern Kentucky University one of the best values for athletic training. Located in the town of Richmond, Eastern Kentucky University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,320, while out-of-state students pay about $21,230. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $28,999 in student loans. Early-career athletic training graduates make about $56,947. Set against $28,999 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Eastern Kentucky University admits about 78% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Kentucky one of the best values for athletic training. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $24,094 in student loans. Early-career athletic training graduates make about $99,948. Set against $24,094 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Kentucky admits about 93% of applicants.
Bellarmine University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value athletic training schools. Located in the city of Louisville, Bellarmine University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $48,770. Students borrow a median of $26,766 to complete the athletic training program here. Soon after graduation, athletic training degree recipients from Bellarmine University generally make around $46,024. That is a strong return on a $26,766 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
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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 1 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.
