Kentucky State University

Kentucky State University's published cost of attendance is $21,727. Net price by income band shows how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $10,225, middle-income families pay around $5,256, and higher-income families pay approximately $1,958.

Azimuth ranks Kentucky State University #249 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

As a public institution, Kentucky State University participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and state aid programs, with need-based aid available to qualifying students. The relatively modest net-price spread across income bands reflects the institution's public-tuition structure and aid allocation.

Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and aid packages combine grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,938, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $16,859; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $46,766, median federal debt of $25,938 projects to a monthly payment of about $293 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Kentucky State University earn median 4-year earnings of $46,766, placing Kentucky State University in the 8.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Kentucky State University in the 56.8 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Kentucky State University #1242 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to KY's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,626 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential).

The earnings pattern reflects Kentucky State University's concentration in business and applied fields. Subject-Specific Teacher Education is the largest program with 15 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $34,522, performing at 0.7× the national benchmark for the field.

General Studies enrolls 14 graduates, while Psychology, General with 14 graduates earns median 4-year earnings of $42,743 at 0.8× the national benchmark. Journalism rounds out the largest programs with 12 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $42,363 at 0.8× the national benchmark.

This program mix—anchored in Business and complemented by applied professional fields—supports stable career pathways and earnings outcomes that align with regional labor-market demand.

Kentucky State University's program mix is anchored in business, education, and applied professional fields—a portfolio reflecting the institution's regional public-university mission. Business Administration is the largest program with 31 graduates, followed by Subject-Specific Teacher Education, General Studies, Psychology, General, and Journalism.

The dominant program family, Business, accounts for a substantial share of the institution's degree output across 11 total programs. Among the institution's ranked programs, several deliver solid four-year earnings outcomes.

Criminal Justice leads with median earnings of $46,767 four years after enrollment, with 12 graduates. Psychology, General graduates earn median earnings of $42,743, while Journalism and Subject-Specific Teacher Education deliver median earnings of $42,363 and $34,522 respectively.

These programs represent the institution's strongest early-career earnings outcomes and reflect fields where regional employers actively recruit. The program-mix signature—concentrated in Business at 21%, Education at 12%, and Social Sciences at 6%—positions Kentucky State as a regional professional-education institution.

Many of these programs are direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter stable, in-demand sectors including business, education, and public service. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with regional and national labor-market demand.