2027 Best Value History Schools in Kentucky

[History](/majors/history/) 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 7 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value history schools.
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2027 Best Value History Schools in Kentucky
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in history, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value History Schools
Leading the list is Northern Kentucky University, our #1 best value for history in Kentucky. Northern Kentucky University is a large public school located in the suburb of Highland Heights. In-state tuition and fees average $11,088, with out-of-state students paying around $21,912. Typical student debt for history graduates is $30,375. History graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn a median of $29,619 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 68%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Murray State University earned it the #2 place for history. Murray State University is a large public school located in the town of Murray. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,900, compared with $19,836 for out-of-state students. History graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans. History graduates of Murray State University earn a median of $27,831 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,500 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Western Kentucky University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value history schools. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $27,000. History graduates carry a median of $22,965 in student loans. Early-career history graduates make about $27,177. That is a strong return on a $22,965 median debt. Western Kentucky University admits about 94% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Morehead State University one of the best values for history. Morehead State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Morehead. In-state tuition and fees average $10,024, with out-of-state students paying around $14,980. Typical student debt for history graduates is $25,896. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Morehead State University generally make around $41,046. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Eastern Kentucky University earned it the #5 place for history. Located in the town of Richmond, Eastern Kentucky University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,320, compared with $21,230 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for history graduates is $27,000. Early-career history graduates make about $29,346. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
University Of Louisville landed the #6 spot for history value this year. Located in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,136, compared with $29,482 for out-of-state students. History graduates carry a median of $23,312 in student loans. History graduates of University Of Louisville earn a median of $22,047 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 ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value history schools. Located in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. History graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Early-career history graduates make about $28,432. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 93%.
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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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.