2027 Best Value Public Health Schools in Kentucky
[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public health education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public health students.
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2027 Best Value Public Health Schools in Kentucky
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public health degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Health Schools
For return on investment in public health, no school beat Murray State University this year. Set in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,900, compared with $19,836 for out-of-state students. Public Health graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Murray State University generally make around $38,753. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Big Sandy Community And Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public health, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Prestonsburg, Big Sandy Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,728, compared with $6,432 for out-of-state students. Public Health graduates carry a median of $11,588 in student loans. Public Health graduates of Big Sandy Community And Technical College earn a median of $33,956 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,588 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Western Kentucky University one of the best values for public health. Set in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,652, compared with $27,000 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $23,543. Early-career public health graduates make about $44,778. Set against $23,543 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
A rank of #4 makes Eastern Kentucky University one of the best values for public health. Eastern Kentucky University is a large public school located in the town of Richmond. Students from in state pay about $10,320 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,230. Public Health graduates carry a median of $22,999 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Eastern Kentucky University generally make around $40,921. That is a strong return on a $22,999 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Louisville earned it the #5 place for public health. University Of Louisville is a very large public school located in the city of Louisville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,136, compared with $29,482 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,500 to complete the public health program here. Public Health graduates of University Of Louisville earn a median of $39,976 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Kentucky landed the #6 spot for public health value this year. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the public health program here. Early-career public health graduates make about $49,431. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. University Of Kentucky admits about 93% of applicants.
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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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
