Best Computer Science Colleges in Kentucky (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 11 colleges in Kentucky that report Computer Science earnings data, ordered by the median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing. Centre College ranks 1st with median earnings of $93,000 after completing.
Across the 9 schools with a reported completion median, earnings range from $93,000 to $26,353, with a median of $73,300. For 1 of the 11 listed schools the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 8 of the 11 schools and 73% of the list. Berea College posts the lowest average net price at $6,106, and Berea College ranks 166th 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 Computer Science Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Centre College · Danville, KY | $93,000 | $20,781 | $11,364 | 54.4% |
| Centre College reports median earnings of $93,000 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing, and its six-year completion rate of 81% is the highest on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (16 graduates) | |||||
| 2 | University of Kentucky · Lexington, KY | $87,217 | $18,851 | $12,182 | 92.9% |
| University of Kentucky admits 93% of applicants and its Computer Science graduates earn a median of $87,217 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (108 graduates), Information Science/Studies (61 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General ($99,535) | |||||
| 3 | Berea College · Berea, KY | $82,491 | $6,106 | $5,428 | 19.3% |
| With an admission rate of 19%, Berea College is the most selective school on the page and carries an average net price of $6,106. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (22 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General ($82,491) | |||||
| 4 | Northern Kentucky University · Highland Heights, KY | $77,648 | $8,191 | $2,603 | 67.7% |
| Northern Kentucky University ranks 4th on this list and shows an average net price of $2,603 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (114 graduates), Information Science/Studies (22 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General ($82,982), Information Science/Studies ($50,009) | |||||
| 5 | Western Kentucky University · Bowling Green, KY | $73,300 | $10,990 | $7,087 | 93.9% |
| Western Kentucky University graduates 56% of its students within six years, and its Computer Science graduates earn a median of $73,300 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (60 graduates), Computer Science (26 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General ($73,300) | |||||
| 6 | Eastern Kentucky University · Richmond, KY | $68,774 | $11,040 | $8,591 | 77.6% |
| Eastern Kentucky University posts a six-year completion rate of 50% and an average net price of $11,040. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (29 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General ($68,774) | |||||
| 7 | University of Louisville · Louisville, KY | $68,351 | $17,988 | $15,138 | 79.4% |
| University of Louisville ranks 207th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 79% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (133 graduates) | |||||
| 8 | Murray State University · Murray, KY | $67,173 | $9,096 | $6,242 | 85.7% |
| Murray State University reports median earnings of $67,173 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 61%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (27 graduates), Computer Science (21 graduates), Computer and Information Sciences, General (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($67,173) | |||||
| 9 | Morehead State University · Morehead, KY | $51,805 | $9,793 | $7,150 | 77.2% |
| Morehead State University ranks 9th on this list, with an average net price of $7,150 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (10 graduates) | |||||
| 10 | University of the Cumberlands · Williamsburg, KY | $40,725 | $14,107 | $10,736 | 98.8% |
| University of the Cumberlands admits 99% of applicants and carries an average net price of $14,107. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (69 graduates) | |||||
| 11 | Kentucky State University · Frankfort, KY | $26,353 | $8,040 | $10,225 | 96.1% |
| Kentucky State University reports median earnings of $26,353 for its Computer Science graduates two years after completing, and its six-year completion rate is 32%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (8 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Computer Science graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figure captures federally aided Computer Science completers who were working and not enrolled, measured after completing. For 1 of the 11 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 9 schools with a reported completion median. Centre College leads University of Kentucky by $5,783, with a spread of $66,647 from top to bottom.
Job market context in Kentucky
Computer Science graduates in Kentucky enter occupations such as Computer User Support Specialists, Software Developers, and Computer Systems Analysts. The median annual wage across those occupations is $80,285, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $63,109. Projected annual openings total 2,920, or about 368 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 4.6% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, not the occupation-wide wages reported here.