Highest Paying Colleges in Kentucky (2026)
Updated
Highest Paying Colleges in Kentucky covers 28 four-year institutions across Kentucky. The list is ordered by Azimuth's return pillar for Kentucky, with the highest return first.
Thomas More University ranks 1st on this list and reports $70,208 in median earnings for its graduates four years after completing. University of Louisville and Spalding University follow, with median earnings of $67,853 and $64,136 respectively.
Of the 28 schools, 8 are public and 20 are private nonprofit, a 29% public share. Berea College posts the lowest average net price on the page at $6,106.
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 earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas More University · Crestview Hills, KY | $70,208 | $21,835 | $15,841 | 90.4% |
| Thomas More University reports median earnings of $70,208 for its graduates four years after completing, ranking 1st on this list. | |||||
| 2 | University of Louisville · Louisville, KY | $67,853 | $17,988 | $15,138 | 79.4% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 61%, University of Louisville ranks 2nd on this page and posts median earnings of $67,853 for its graduates. | |||||
| 3 | Spalding University · Louisville, KY | $64,136 | $25,491 | $20,509 | 99.5% |
| Spalding University admits 99% of applicants and its graduates earn a median of $64,136 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary · Louisville, KY | $66,838 | Not reported | Not reported | 55.9% |
| The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ranks 980th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with median earnings of $66,838 for its graduates. | |||||
| 5 | University of Kentucky · Lexington, KY | $65,922 | $18,851 | $12,182 | 92.9% |
| University of Kentucky reports an average net price of $12,182 for families earning under $30,000, alongside median earnings of $65,922 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Bellarmine University · Louisville, KY | $64,564 | $21,499 | $18,430 | 86.1% |
| Graduates of Bellarmine University earn a median of $64,564 four years after completing, and the school admits 86% of applicants. | |||||
| 7 | Centre College · Danville, KY | $64,933 | $20,781 | $11,364 | 54.4% |
| Centre College posts a six-year completion rate of 81% and median earnings of $64,933 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Georgetown College · Georgetown, KY | $54,370 | $14,095 | $9,777 | 91.1% |
| Georgetown College reports an average net price of $9,777 for families earning under $30,000, and its graduates earn a median of $54,370 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | University of Pikeville · Pikeville, KY | $55,132 | $20,311 | $13,115 | Not reported |
| University of Pikeville ranks 967th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a six-year completion rate of 42%. | |||||
| 10 | Midway University · Midway, KY | $54,588 | $29,579 | $27,206 | 95.1% |
| Midway University admits 95% of applicants and reports median earnings of $54,588 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Clear Creek Baptist Bible College · Pineville, KY | $44,416 | $10,949 | $11,401 | Not reported |
| Clear Creek Baptist Bible College reports an average net price of $11,401 for families earning under $30,000, alongside a six-year completion rate of 38%. | |||||
| 12 | Transylvania University · Lexington, KY | $50,923 | $21,913 | $14,551 | 86.6% |
| Transylvania University posts median earnings of $50,923 for its graduates four years after completing, and its six-year completion rate is 71%. | |||||
| 13 | Northern Kentucky University · Highland Heights, KY | $58,429 | $8,191 | $2,603 | 67.7% |
| Northern Kentucky University reports median earnings of $58,429 for its graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $8,191. | |||||
| 14 | Western Kentucky University · Bowling Green, KY | $53,602 | $10,990 | $7,087 | 93.9% |
| Western Kentucky University admits 94% of applicants and shows a six-year completion rate of 56%. | |||||
| 15 | Brescia University · Owensboro, KY | $51,492 | $8,709 | $8,977 | 35.2% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Owensboro, Brescia University ranks 15th on this list with median earnings of $51,492 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | University of the Cumberlands · Williamsburg, KY | $51,882 | $14,107 | $10,736 | 98.8% |
| University of the Cumberlands posts a six-year completion rate of 50% and an average net price of $14,107. | |||||
| 17 | Morehead State University · Morehead, KY | $50,224 | $9,793 | $7,150 | 77.2% |
| Morehead State University reports median earnings of $50,224 for its graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $7,150 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 18 | Campbellsville University · Campbellsville, KY | $47,650 | $19,341 | $17,880 | 79.7% |
| Campbellsville University ranks 1252nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its graduates earn a median of $47,650 four years after completing. | |||||
| 19 | Union Commonwealth University · Barbourville, KY | $52,077 | $21,311 | $12,214 | 63.2% |
| Union Commonwealth University admits 63% of applicants and reports a six-year completion rate of 32%. | |||||
| 20 | Alice Lloyd College · Pippa Passes, KY | $42,268 | $18,600 | $17,444 | 75.2% |
| Alice Lloyd College shows median earnings of $42,268 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $18,600. | |||||
| 21 | Murray State University · Murray, KY | $50,487 | $9,096 | $6,242 | 85.7% |
| Murray State University reports a six-year completion rate of 61% and an average net price of $6,242 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 22 | Kentucky State University · Frankfort, KY | $46,766 | $8,040 | $10,225 | 96.1% |
| Kentucky State University admits 96% of applicants and reports median earnings of $46,766 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | Lindsey Wilson University · Columbia, KY | $43,852 | $15,070 | $14,745 | Not reported |
| Lindsey Wilson University ranks 764th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its graduates earn a median of $43,852 four years after completing. | |||||
| 24 | Kentucky Christian University · Grayson, KY | $52,466 | $24,038 | $23,241 | 60.9% |
| Kentucky Christian University reports an average net price of $23,241 for families earning under $30,000, and its graduates earn a median of $52,466 four years after completing. | |||||
| 25 | Eastern Kentucky University · Richmond, KY | $54,691 | $11,040 | $8,591 | 77.6% |
| Eastern Kentucky University reports median earnings of $54,691 for its graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $11,040. | |||||
| 26 | Kentucky Wesleyan College · Owensboro, KY | $45,592 | $17,131 | $13,951 | 71.6% |
| Kentucky Wesleyan College admits 72% of applicants and has a six-year completion rate of 47%. | |||||
| 27 | Berea College · Berea, KY | $42,924 | $6,106 | $5,428 | 19.3% |
| Berea College ranks 166th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its graduates earn a median of $42,924 four years after completing. | |||||
| 28 | Asbury University · Wilmore, KY | $45,728 | $21,401 | $18,455 | 63.4% |
| Asbury University posts an average net price of $21,401, with a six-year completion rate of 65%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's return pillar for Kentucky, highest first. The pillar measures four-year earnings, modeled value added and program earnings relative to national benchmarks, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The ordering metric is the median earnings of federally aided completers at each institution, across all fields, measured four years after completing, among those working and not enrolled. The list does not measure cost, selectivity, or who enrolls. Thomas More University reports $70,208 in median earnings for its graduates four years after completing, while University of Louisville follows at $67,853.