Best English Colleges for Social Mobility in Kentucky (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 8 English colleges in Kentucky that clear a mobility threshold. Schools first had to sit at or above the 60th percentile on Azimuth's mobility pillar; those that qualified are ordered by the school's median earnings of all students ten years after entry, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page.
Centre College ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $66,240 for its students ten years after entry. Across the listed schools, median earnings of all students ten years after entry ranges from $66,240 to $43,150, and the median figure is $48,008.
Public institutions account for 6 of the 8 schools, or 75% of the list. Berea College posts the lowest average net price, at $6,106.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 10 years after entry | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Pell share | Mobility percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Centre College · Danville, KY | $66,240 | $20,781 | $11,364 | 22.6% | 83rd |
| Centre College reports median earnings of $66,240 for its students ten years after entry, the highest on this list. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (8 graduates) | ||||||
| 2 | University of Kentucky · Lexington, KY | $59,025 | $18,851 | $12,182 | 22.5% | 92nd |
| University of Kentucky sits at the 92nd percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions and posts an average net price of $18,851. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (51 graduates), Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (14 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($44,384) | ||||||
| 3 | University of Louisville · Louisville, KY | $53,899 | $17,988 | $15,138 | 30.6% | 86th |
| With a 31% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants, University of Louisville ranks 3rd on this page. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (42 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($45,572) | ||||||
| 4 | Northern Kentucky University · Highland Heights, KY | $50,220 | $8,191 | $2,603 | 25.2% | 71st |
| Northern Kentucky University carries an average net price of $8,191 and median earnings of $50,220 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (37 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($44,385) | ||||||
| 5 | Eastern Kentucky University · Richmond, KY | $45,795 | $11,040 | $8,591 | 41.1% | 82nd |
| Eastern Kentucky University reports a 41% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and median earnings of $45,795 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (24 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($35,203) | ||||||
| 6 | Murray State University · Murray, KY | $44,737 | $9,096 | $6,242 | 33.3% | 74th |
| Murray State University posts median earnings of $44,737 ten years after entry, below the list median of $48,008. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (25 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($41,383) | ||||||
| 7 | Western Kentucky University · Bowling Green, KY | $43,889 | $10,990 | $7,087 | 30.5% | 78th |
| Western Kentucky University sits at the 78th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $10,990. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (33 graduates), English Language and Literature/Letters, Other (10 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($40,616) | ||||||
| 8 | Berea College · Berea, KY | $43,150 | $6,106 | $5,428 | 83.7% | 61st |
| Berea College has the lowest average net price on the page at $6,106 and an 84% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (12 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($40,722) | ||||||
How this list is ordered
Schools first had to sit at or above the 60th percentile on Azimuth's mobility pillar; those that qualified are ordered by the school's median earnings of all students ten years after entry, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The ordering metric is the median earnings of all federally aided students at each institution, measured ten years after entry, among those working and not enrolled. It does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between Centre College and University of Kentucky is $7,215, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom is $23,090.
Related rankings
- English Colleges for Social Mobility
- English Colleges in Alabama for Social Mobility
- English Colleges in Colorado for Social Mobility