2021 Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky
It's not easy to decide which college to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Value Kentucky Schools ranking - to help you make that decision.
We analyzed 26 colleges and universities to determine which were the best for overall value in Kentucky. This ranking isn't just a listing of 'cheap' schools. Instead, it is noting which schools offer a high quality education for a reasonable price. Because of this, it is possible for one college to rank better than another, even if the latter college has a lower average cost.
See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.
When determining average cost, we look at total expenses, such as tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other living expenses, and then deduct the average amount of financial aid awarded to a student. This estimate is meant to give you a better picture of how much money you'll have to pay each year, either through self-pay, loans, or external scholarships.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors, such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those seeking diversity and overall quality.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!
Top Colleges for the Money in Kentucky
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Centre College tops this year’s ranking as the best school for overall value in Kentucky. Centre College of Kentucky is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Danville, Kentucky. It awarded 378 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
It takes about 4.0 years for the average student at Centre College of Kentucky to complete their degree, and it costs about $25,757 per year to attend the school. This makes the estimated cost of a bachelor’s degree from Centre College of Kentucky be around $103,543. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Centre College of Kentucky did well in our quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our Best Colleges in Kentucky list.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Berea College. The school came in at #2 in Kentucky on this year’s best value ranking. Berea is a private not-for-profit institution located in Berea, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 349 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
It takes about 4.3 years for the average student at Berea to complete their degree, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $21,680. This means that the average student pays around $92,574 to get a bachelor’s degree from Berea. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.
Berea also took the #4 spot in our Best Colleges in Kentucky rankings.
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A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky list means University of Kentucky is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. This large public school is located in Lexington, Kentucky, and it awarded 5,535 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
It takes the average student at UK about 4.4 years to graduate, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $22,776. When we combine these numbers, we estimate that the cost to get a bachelor’s degree from UK is $99,759. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.
UK did well in our quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our Best Colleges in Kentucky list.
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The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Murray State University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for the money in Kentucky. Murray State is a public institution located in Murray, Kentucky. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,611 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
The average student at Murray State graduates in less than 4.5 years, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $17,025. This makes the estimated cost of a bachelor’s degree from Murray State be around $77,123. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.
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The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Louisville helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for the money in Kentucky. Louisville, Kentucky is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,155 students in 2018-2019.
The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at U of L is 4.5 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $21,351. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the U of L is $96,507. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.
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With a ranking of #6, Transylvania University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky list. Transylvania is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lexington, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 272 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
At Transylvania, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 4.0 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $30,301. When we combine these numbers, we estimate that the cost to get a bachelor’s degree from Transylvania is $122,719. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
The low student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Transylvania not only placed well in our value rankings, but it is also #2 on our Best Colleges in Kentucky list.
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Western Kentucky University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky ranking. Located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the fairly large public school awarded 3,158 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.
It takes the average student at WKU about 4.5 years to graduate, and it costs about $17,056 per year to attend the school. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the WKU is $76,752. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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Northern Kentucky University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky ranking. NKU is a public institution located in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,197 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
The average student at NKU graduates in less than 4.6 years, and the yearly average cost to attend the school is $17,963. When we combine these numbers, we estimate that the cost to get a bachelor’s degree from NKU is $83,348. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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Alice Lloyd College landed the #9 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Kentucky ranking. Located in Pippa Passes, Kentucky, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 89 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.
The average student at Alice Lloyd graduates in less than 4.9 years, and the average full-time cost to attend the school is around $15,644. This means that the average student pays around $77,281 to get a bachelor’s degree from Alice Lloyd. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.
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With a ranking of #10, Morehead State University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky list. Morehead State University is located in Morehead, Kentucky and has a medium-sized student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 1,289 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
It takes the average student at Morehead State University about 4.5 years to graduate, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $17,710. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from Morehead State University is about $79,164. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.
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Eastern Kentucky University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky ranking. Eastern is a fairly large public school situated in Richmond, Kentucky. It awarded 2,737 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at Eastern is 4.5 years, and the yearly average cost to attend the school is $18,552. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the Eastern is $83,298. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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Bellarmine University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky ranking. Louisville, Kentucky is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 690 students in 2018-2019.
It takes about 4.2 years for the average student at Bellarmine U to complete their degree, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $32,633. This means that the average student pays around $136,406 to get a bachelor’s degree from Bellarmine U. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Bellarmine U also took the #5 spot in our Best Colleges in Kentucky rankings.
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Kentucky State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #13. Frankfort, Kentucky is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 212 students in 2018-2019.
It takes the average student at KY State about 5.0 years to graduate, and it costs about $10,618 per year to attend the school. When we combine these numbers, we estimate that the cost to get a bachelor’s degree from KY State is $52,559. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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University of the Cumberlands ranked #14 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky list. University of the Cumberlands is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Williamsburg, Kentucky that handed out 600 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
At Cumberland College, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 4.3 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $15,792. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from Cumberland College is about $67,748. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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Asbury University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky list. Located in Wilmore, Kentucky, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 314 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.
It takes the average student at Asbury about 4.2 years to graduate, and the yearly average cost to attend the school is $30,557. This makes the estimated cost of a bachelor’s degree from Asbury be around $128,951. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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Georgetown College landed the #16 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Kentucky ranking. Located in Georgetown, Kentucky, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 218 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.
It takes the average student at Georgetown College about 4.1 years to graduate, and the yearly average cost to attend the school is $26,252. This makes the estimated cost of a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown College be around $108,158. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.
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With a ranking of #17, Spalding University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky list. Spalding University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Louisville, Kentucky that handed out 270 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
It takes the average student at Spalding about 4.5 years to graduate, and the average full-time cost to attend the school is around $23,229. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from Spalding is about $103,369. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #18. SBTS is a private not-for-profit institution located in Louisville, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 83 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at SBTS is 4.1 years, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $31,034. This means that the average student pays around $127,550 to get a bachelor’s degree from SBTS. When you graduate sooner, you can save a lot of money.
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Kentucky Christian University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky list. Kentucky Christian University is located in Grayson, Kentucky and has a small student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 105 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at Kentucky Christian University is 4.1 years, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $23,611. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from Kentucky Christian University is $97,041. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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With a ranking of #20, University of Pikeville did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in Kentucky list. UPIKE is located in Pikeville, Kentucky and has a small student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 203 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at UPIKE is 4.5 years, and it costs about $21,892 per year to attend the school. This makes the estimated cost of a bachelor’s degree from UPIKE be around $99,390. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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Lindsey Wilson College landed the #21 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Kentucky ranking. Lindsey Wilson College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Columbia, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 445 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
It takes the average student at Lindsey Wilson College about 4.4 years to graduate, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $23,207. This makes the estimated cost of a bachelor’s degree from Lindsey Wilson College be around $101,647. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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Union College Kentucky landed the #22 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Kentucky ranking. Union College Kentucky is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Barbourville, Kentucky. It awarded 241 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
The average student at Union College Kentucky graduates in less than 4.4 years, and the average full-time cost to attend the school is around $24,103. When we combine these numbers, we estimate that the cost to get a bachelor’s degree from Union College Kentucky is $105,089. When you graduate sooner, you can save a lot of money.
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Brescia University landed the #23 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Kentucky ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Owensboro, Kentucky, and it awarded 171 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
It takes about 4.3 years for the average student at Brescia University to complete their degree, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $30,823. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the Brescia University is $132,231. When you graduate sooner, you can save a lot of money.
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Midway University landed the #24 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Kentucky ranking. Midway University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Midway, Kentucky that handed out 169 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
At Midway, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 4.2 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $31,688. This means that the average student pays around $132,139 to get a bachelor’s degree from Midway. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.
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Kentucky Wesleyan College landed the #25 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges in Kentucky ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Owensboro, Kentucky, and it awarded 137 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
It takes the average student at Wesleyan about 4.2 years to graduate, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $34,385. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan is about $144,761. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- For our state-specific rankings, we use in-state tuition to calculate average cost. For our national and regional rankings, we use a weighted average of in-state and non-resident tuition.
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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