Best Business Colleges in Kentucky (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 21 Business programs in Kentucky by median earnings of Business graduates four years after completing. Thomas More University leads the list with median earnings of $81,795 for its graduates after completing.
Across the 13 schools with a reported completion median, earnings range from $81,795 to $39,729, with a median of $59,415.
The list includes 7 public and 14 private nonprofit institutions. Northern Kentucky University posts the lowest average net price at $8,191, and Transylvania University reports the highest six-year completion rate at 71%.
University of Louisville ranks 207th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Business Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas More University · Crestview Hills, KY | $81,795 | $21,835 | $15,841 | 90.4% |
| Thomas More University reports median earnings of $81,795 for its Business graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (66 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (12 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business Administration, Management and Operations ($82,906) | |||||
| 2 | University of Kentucky · Lexington, KY | $75,200 | $18,851 | $12,182 | 92.9% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 71%, University of Kentucky ranks 2nd on this page and posts median earnings of $75,200 for its Business graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Marketing (369 graduates), Business/Commerce, General (352 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (297 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Accounting and Related Services ($85,777), Finance and Financial Management Services ($84,087), Business/Managerial Economics ($74,202) | |||||
| 3 | University of Louisville · Louisville, KY | $69,177 | $17,988 | $15,138 | 79.4% |
| University of Louisville holds the strongest Azimuth composite rank on the page, placing 207th among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally, and admits 79% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Marketing (135 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (103 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (69 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business/Managerial Economics ($75,845), Finance and Financial Management Services ($75,089), Accounting and Related Services ($74,924) | |||||
| 4 | Northern Kentucky University · Highland Heights, KY | $68,145 | $8,191 | $2,603 | 67.7% |
| Northern Kentucky University ranks 4th on this list and carries an average net price of $8,191, the lowest among the schools shown. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (409 graduates), Human Resources Management and Services (61 graduates), Construction Management (29 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Management Information Systems and Services ($85,697), Construction Management ($81,833), Business Administration, Management and Operations ($67,319) | |||||
| 5 | Transylvania University · Lexington, KY | $65,646 | $21,913 | $14,551 | 86.6% |
| Transylvania University graduates 71% of its students within six years, the top rate on the page, alongside median earnings of $65,646 for its Business graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (42 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Accounting and Related Services ($70,822), Business/Commerce, General ($64,290) | |||||
| 6 | Bellarmine University · Louisville, KY | $65,290 | $21,499 | $18,430 | 86.1% |
| A private nonprofit university in Louisville, Bellarmine University ranks 6th on this list and reports an average net price of $21,499. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (61 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (21 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (15 graduates) | |||||
| 7 | Kentucky Wesleyan College · Owensboro, KY | $64,396 | $17,131 | $13,951 | 71.6% |
| Kentucky Wesleyan College posts median earnings of $64,396 for its Business graduates four years after completing, and its admission rate stands at 72%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (23 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (6 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business/Commerce, General ($64,396) | |||||
| 8 | Spalding University · Louisville, KY | $63,642 | $25,491 | $20,509 | 99.5% |
| Spalding University admits 99% of applicants, the most open admission rate on the list, and reports an average net price of $20,509 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (26 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (5 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | Western Kentucky University · Bowling Green, KY | $61,792 | $10,990 | $7,087 | 93.9% |
| Ranking 9th on this page, Western Kentucky University shows a six-year completion rate of 56% and an average net price of $10,990. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (209 graduates), Marketing (136 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (78 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Accounting and Related Services ($71,274), Finance and Financial Management Services ($70,313), Marketing ($60,222) | |||||
| 10 | Campbellsville University · Campbellsville, KY | $59,805 | $19,341 | $17,880 | 79.7% |
| Campbellsville University reports median earnings of $59,805 for its Business graduates four years after completing, and its six-year completion rate is 42%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (85 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business/Commerce, General ($59,805) | |||||
| 11 | Lindsey Wilson University · Columbia, KY | $59,415 | $15,070 | $14,745 | Not reported |
| With median earnings of $59,415 for its Business graduates four years after completing, Lindsey Wilson University ranks 11th on this list and reports an average net price of $15,070. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (53 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business Administration, Management and Operations ($59,415) | |||||
| 12 | Eastern Kentucky University · Richmond, KY | $58,634 | $11,040 | $8,591 | 77.6% |
| Eastern Kentucky University ranks 382nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally and reports an average net price of $8,591 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (86 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (53 graduates), Marketing (49 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Construction Management ($88,120), Business Administration, Management and Operations ($68,249), Accounting and Related Services ($59,609) | |||||
| 13 | Murray State University · Murray, KY | $57,341 | $9,096 | $6,242 | 85.7% |
| Murray State University reports $57,341 in median earnings of Business graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $9,096. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (78 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (44 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (41 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Accounting and Related Services ($64,269), Marketing ($56,780), Finance and Financial Management Services ($56,263) | |||||
| 14 | Asbury University · Wilmore, KY | $57,135 | $21,401 | $18,455 | 63.4% |
| A private nonprofit university in Wilmore, Asbury University admits 63% of applicants and has a six-year completion rate of 65%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (33 graduates), Business/Commerce, General (14 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (12 graduates) | |||||
| 15 | University of the Cumberlands · Williamsburg, KY | $57,115 | $14,107 | $10,736 | 98.8% |
| University of the Cumberlands ranks 426th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally and posts an average net price of $10,736 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (175 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (66 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business/Commerce, General ($59,760) | |||||
| 16 | Midway University · Midway, KY | $55,108 | $29,579 | $27,206 | 95.1% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 41%, Midway University lists $55,108 in median earnings of Business graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (54 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (5 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business/Commerce, General ($55,108) | |||||
| 17 | Union Commonwealth University · Barbourville, KY | $51,079 | $21,311 | $12,214 | 63.2% |
| Union Commonwealth University admits 63% of applicants and its Business graduates earn a median of $51,079 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (36 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (9 graduates) | |||||
| 18 | Morehead State University · Morehead, KY | $50,285 | $9,793 | $7,150 | 77.2% |
| Morehead State University ranks 661st on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally and reports an average net price of $9,793. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Accounting and Related Services (33 graduates), Business/Commerce, General (29 graduates), Business Administration, Management and Operations (27 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business Administration, Management and Operations ($55,282), Business/Commerce, General ($50,191), Accounting and Related Services ($50,125) | |||||
| 19 | University of Pikeville · Pikeville, KY | $49,971 | $20,311 | $13,115 | Not reported |
| Graduates of University of Pikeville earn a median of $49,971 four years after completing, and the school's six-year completion rate is 42%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (41 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business Administration, Management and Operations ($49,971) | |||||
| 20 | Kentucky Christian University · Grayson, KY | $44,584 | $24,038 | $23,241 | 60.9% |
| Kentucky Christian University admits 61% of applicants and reports an average net price of $23,241 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (37 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business Administration, Management and Operations ($44,584) | |||||
| 21 | Georgetown College · Georgetown, KY | $39,729 | $14,095 | $9,777 | 91.1% |
| Georgetown College reports $39,729 in median earnings for its Business graduates two years after completing and an average net price of $14,095. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (10 graduates), Marketing (8 graduates), Business Administration, Management and Operations (6 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Business graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figures are medians for federally aided Business completers who were working and not enrolled, measured after completing. For 1 of the 21 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The figures cited on this page cover the 13 schools with a reported completion median. Thomas More University leads University of Kentucky by $6,595, and the spread from top to bottom is $42,066.
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