2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in Kentucky
[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value public health schools.
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2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in Kentucky
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public health, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Health Schools
Murray State University earned the #1 spot for value among public health schools in Kentucky. Murray State University is a large public school located in the town of Murray. In-state tuition and fees average $9,900, compared with $19,836 for out-of-state students. Public Health graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Public Health graduates of Murray State University earn a median of $38,753 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
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. In-state tuition and fees average $4,728, compared with $6,432 for out-of-state students. Public Health graduates carry a median of $11,588 in student loans. Early-career public health graduates make about $33,956. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 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. In-state tuition and fees average $10,320, with out-of-state students paying around $21,230. Students borrow a median of $22,999 to complete the public health program here. Early-career public health graduates make about $40,921. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Western Kentucky University one of the best values for public health. Located in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,652 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,000. Public Health graduates carry a median of $23,543 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Western Kentucky University generally make around $44,778. That is a strong return on a $23,543 median debt. Western Kentucky University admits about 94% of applicants.
University Of Kentucky is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public health, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,502, compared with $34,140 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $23,250. Public Health graduates of University Of Kentucky earn a median of $49,431 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. University Of Kentucky admits about 93% of applicants.
University Of Louisville ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value public health schools. Located in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,136, compared with $29,482 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $18,500. 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.
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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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
