Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks University of Kentucky #223 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $65,922, placing University of Kentucky in the 70.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. University of Kentucky sits in the 65.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earn about $1,704 more than similar students at comparable institutions. University of Kentucky's composite ranking reflects a balance of return, mobility, and affordability working together — anchored by a business-dominant program mix that channels a large share of graduates into careers with strong and durable earnings trajectories. Azimuth ranks University of Kentucky #467 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks University of Kentucky #223 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Lexington, KY, University of Kentucky enrolls roughly 24,763 undergraduates. Retention stands at 86.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 71.4%, reflecting solid degree completion relative to peer institutions across the coverage set. Where University of Kentucky performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks University of Kentucky #467 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $65,922, and graduates earn about $1,704 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of Kentucky in the 65.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business is the dominant program family, anchoring a broad mix that spans health, engineering, and liberal arts fields. The composite is balanced by access and affordability. University of Kentucky admits about 92.9% of applicants, with 22.5% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 23.4% identifying as first-generation college students. University of Kentucky sits in the 62.5 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions and the 54.8 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Mobility outcomes are notably strong — University of Kentucky sits in the 92.0 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, indicating that students from lower-income backgrounds convert enrollment into meaningful earnings gains at rates that outpace many comparable institutions.
The University of Kentucky's published cost of attendance is $34,391, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $12,182 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $16,313, and higher-income families pay approximately $26,781. Azimuth ranks University of Kentucky #644 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. Kentucky's public-university structure supports a meaningful gap between sticker price and what most families actually pay, particularly for lower-income households. Need-based aid — including Pell Grants, state aid, and institutional scholarships — covers a substantial share of cost for qualifying students, and the university participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs. Families seeking to understand the full picture of how aid applies to their situation should review the net price illusion and use net price figures rather than published cost of attendance as the planning baseline. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $30,006; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $65,922, median federal debt of $22,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $254 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
University of Kentucky is a strong fit for students drawn to business, applied professional fields, and the broader Business family who want a large public research university in KY with a clear path to solid post-graduation earnings. Graduates earn median $65,922 four years after enrollment, placing University of Kentucky in the 70.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — and earn about $1,704 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 65.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access profile is broad. 22.5% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 23.4% are first-generation students, and low-income graduates place in the 79.1 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions on a historical 10-year Scorecard measure — a meaningful signal for Pell-eligible and first-generation applicants weighing long-run financial outcomes. Median student debt at graduation is $22,500, a useful anchor for families modeling borrowing. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the university admits roughly 92.9% of applicants, making it accessible to most qualified students, and the program portfolio leans toward Business and applied professional fields — students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the University Of Kentucky hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Computer Engineering
54 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
108 graduates
Chemical Engineering
68 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
51 graduates
Mechanical Engineering
168 graduates
University of Kentucky's program mix is anchored in Business, with substantial depth across health, engineering, and applied professional fields. Business accounts for 24% of graduates, followed by Engineering at 9% and Education at 7%.
Across 76 programs serving roughly 5,441 students annually, 60 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold — a broad portfolio that reflects the university's land-grant research identity. Digital Marketing combines one of the largest cohorts with strong earnings, making it a central driver of the institution's overall financial outcomes.
The strongest early-career earnings come from engineering and health-adjacent fields. Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #128 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with 168 graduates earning $90,654.
Azimuth ranks Finance #63 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning $84,087. The Nursing program graduates 302 students with median earnings of $81,941, and Azimuth ranks the program #207 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment.
Among the largest programs by enrollment, Digital Marketing program graduates 369 students with median earnings of $70,776, while The Business/Commerce, General program graduates 352 students with median earnings of $69,451. Several of University of Kentucky's high-earning programs are direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect actual labor-market outcomes — particularly in engineering, accounting, and nursing.
Programs in biology, psychology, and the social sciences are more likely grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate or professional school. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with national wage trends, and the [program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) explains how Azimuth evaluates programs across cohort scale, earnings, and benchmark performance.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of Louisville Similar quality tier in Southeast (#5467 ranked) | KY | 79% | $53,899 | #5467 | Compare |
Cleveland State University Similar quality tier (#5468 ranked) | OH | 91% | $52,131 | #5468 | Compare |
James Madison University Similar quality tier in Southeast (#5469 ranked) | VA | 72% | $69,954 | #5469 | Compare |
Grand Valley State University Similar quality tier (#5441 ranked) | MI | 83% | $56,118 | #5441 | Compare |
University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Similar quality tier (#5471 ranked) | WI | 91% | $54,990 | #5471 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
The University of Kentucky's published cost of attendance is $34,391, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $12,182 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $16,313, and higher-income families pay approximately $26,781.
Azimuth ranks University of Kentucky #644 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.
Kentucky's public-university structure supports a meaningful gap between sticker price and what most families actually pay, particularly for lower-income households. Need-based aid — including Pell Grants, state aid, and institutional scholarships — covers a substantial share of cost for qualifying students, and the university participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs.
Families seeking to understand the full picture of how aid applies to their situation should review the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) and use net price figures rather than published cost of attendance as the planning baseline. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $30,006; 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 $65,922, median federal debt of $22,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $254 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 University of Kentucky earn median 4-year earnings of $65,922, placing the institution in the 70.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,704 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of Kentucky in the 65.5 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks University of Kentucky #467 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 68.5 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The earnings pattern reflects University of Kentucky's focus on Business, which accounts for 24% of degrees. Marketing is the largest program with 369 graduates earning median earnings of $70,776 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks it #63 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Azimuth ranks Business/Commerce, General #18 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 352 graduates earning $69,451, while Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ranks #194 nationally with 302 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $81,941.
