Colleges in Kentucky
All 61 degree-granting colleges in Kentucky, sorted by published in-state tuition. Click any column header to re-sort.
The gap between the cheapest and most expensive college in Kentucky is $43,510 per year — about $174,040 over a four-year degree.
All 61 colleges, cheapest first
| College | In-state | Out-of-state | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashland Community and Technical CollegePublicAshland · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 2 | Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical CollegePublicBowling Green · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 3 | Elizabethtown Community and Technical CollegePublicElizabethtown · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 4 | Hazard Community and Technical CollegePublicHazard · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 5 | Henderson Community CollegePublicHenderson · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 6 | Hopkinsville Community CollegePublicHopkinsville · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 7 | Madisonville Community CollegePublicMadisonville · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 8 | Maysville Community and Technical CollegePublicMaysville · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 9 | West Kentucky Community and Technical CollegePublicPaducah · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 10 | Big Sandy Community and Technical CollegePublicPrestonsburg · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 11 | Somerset Community CollegePublicSomerset · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 12 | Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical CollegePublicCumberland · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 13 | Owensboro Community and Technical CollegePublicOwensboro · 2-year | $4,560 | $4,560 | Public |
| 14 | Bluegrass Community and Technical CollegePublicLexington · 2-year | $4,640 | $4,640 | Public |
| 15 | Jefferson Community and Technical CollegePublicLouisville · 2-year | $4,640 | $4,640 | Public |
| 16 | Gateway Community and Technical CollegePublicFlorence · 2-year | $4,640 | $4,640 | Public |
| 17 | Kentucky State UniversityPublicHBCUFrankfort · Less than 2-year | $9,004 | $9,004 | Public |
| 18 | Murray State UniversityPublicMurray · Less than 2-year | $9,432 | $9,432 | Public |
| 19 | Morehead State UniversityPublicMorehead · Less than 2-year | $9,560 | $9,560 | Public |
| 20 | Eastern Kentucky UniversityPublicRichmond · Less than 2-year | $9,844 | $9,844 | Public |
| 21 | University of the CumberlandsPrivateWilliamsburg · Less than 2-year | $9,875 | $9,875 | Private nonprofit |
| 22 | Clear Creek Baptist Bible CollegePrivatePineville · Less than 2-year | $9,970 | $9,970 | Private nonprofit |
| 23 | Kentucky Mountain Bible CollegePrivateJackson · Less than 2-year | $10,060 | $10,060 | Private nonprofit |
| 24 | American National University-PikevilleFor-profitPikeville · Less than 2-year | $10,314 | $10,314 | Private for-profit |
| 25 | Northern Kentucky UniversityPublicHighland Heights · Less than 2-year | $10,592 | $10,592 | Public |
| 26 | Interactive College of Technology-NewportFor-profitNewport · 2-year | $10,610 | $10,610 | Private for-profit |
| 27 | Western Kentucky UniversityPublicBowling Green · Less than 2-year | $11,112 | $11,112 | Public |
| 28 | The Southern Baptist Theological SeminaryPrivateLouisville · Less than 2-year | $12,000 | $12,000 | Private nonprofit |
| 29 | University of LouisvillePublicLouisville · Less than 2-year | $12,520 | $12,520 | Public |
| 30 | University of KentuckyPublicLexington · Less than 2-year | $12,859 | $12,859 | Public |
| 31 | Beckfield College-FlorenceFor-profitFlorence · Less than 2-year | $13,295 | $13,295 | Private for-profit |
| 32 | ATA CollegeFor-profitLouisville · 2-year | $13,790 | $13,790 | Private for-profit |
| 33 | Sullivan UniversityFor-profitLouisville · Less than 2-year | $14,220 | $14,220 | Private for-profit |
| 34 | Alice Lloyd CollegePrivatePippa Passes · Less than 2-year | $14,250 | $14,250 | Private nonprofit |
| 35 | Simmons College of KentuckyPrivateHBCULouisville · Less than 2-year | $16,398 | $16,398 | Private nonprofit |
| 36 | University of PikevillePrivatePikeville · Less than 2-year | $23,150 | $23,150 | Private nonprofit |
| 37 | Kentucky Christian UniversityPrivateGrayson · Less than 2-year | $23,700 | $23,700 | Private nonprofit |
| 38 | Midway UniversityPrivateMidway · Less than 2-year | $25,050 | $25,050 | Private nonprofit |
| 39 | Campbellsville UniversityPrivateCampbellsville · Less than 2-year | $26,100 | $26,100 | Private nonprofit |
| 40 | Lindsey Wilson CollegePrivateColumbia · Less than 2-year | $26,228 | $26,228 | Private nonprofit |
| 41 | Spalding UniversityPrivateLouisville · Less than 2-year | $27,050 | $27,050 | Private nonprofit |
| 42 | Brescia UniversityPrivateOwensboro · Less than 2-year | $27,950 | $27,950 | Private nonprofit |
| 43 | Union CollegePrivateBarbourville · Less than 2-year | $30,065 | $30,065 | Private nonprofit |
| 44 | Kentucky Wesleyan CollegePrivateOwensboro · Less than 2-year | $31,300 | $31,300 | Private nonprofit |
| 45 | Galen Health Institutes-PikevilleFor-profitPikeville · 2-year | $31,620 | $31,620 | Private for-profit |
| 46 | Asbury UniversityPrivateWilmore · Less than 2-year | $33,146 | $33,146 | Private nonprofit |
| 47 | Thomas More UniversityPrivateCrestview Hills · Less than 2-year | $35,810 | $35,810 | Private nonprofit |
| 48 | Georgetown CollegePrivateGeorgetown · Less than 2-year | $41,600 | $41,600 | Private nonprofit |
| 49 | Transylvania UniversityPrivateLexington · Less than 2-year | $43,670 | $43,670 | Private nonprofit |
| 50 | Berea CollegePrivateBerea · Less than 2-year | $45,026 | $45,026 | Private nonprofit |
| 51 | Bellarmine UniversityPrivateLouisville · Less than 2-year | $45,630 | $45,630 | Private nonprofit |
| 52 | Centre CollegePrivateDanville · Less than 2-year | $48,070 | $48,070 | Private nonprofit |
| 53 | Asbury Theological SeminaryPrivateWilmore · Less than 2-year | — | — | Private nonprofit |
| 54 | Frontier Nursing UniversityPrivateVersailles · Less than 2-year | — | — | Private nonprofit |
| 55 | Galen College of Nursing-ARHFor-profitHazard · 2-year | — | — | Private for-profit |
| 56 | Galen College of Nursing-LouisvilleFor-profitLouisville · Less than 2-year | — | — | Private for-profit |
| 57 | Kentucky Community and Technical College SystemPublicVersailles · 2-year | — | — | Public |
| 58 | Lexington Theological SeminaryPrivateLexington · Less than 2-year | — | — | Private nonprofit |
| 59 | Louisville Presbyterian Theological SeminaryPrivateLouisville · Less than 2-year | — | — | Private nonprofit |
| 60 | MedQuest CollegeFor-profitLouisville · 2-year | — | — | Private for-profit |
| 61 | Ross College-HopkinsvilleFor-profitHopkinsville · 2-year | — | — | Private for-profit |
By city
Questions
What is the cheapest college in Kentucky?
Ashland Community and Technical College in Ashland, at $4,560 per year for in-state students. The next cheapest are Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College ($4,560), Elizabethtown Community and Technical College ($4,560), Hazard Community and Technical College ($4,560).
How much does college cost in Kentucky?
The median published in-state tuition is $11,112 per year across 52 colleges that reported. Community colleges sit at the low end; private four-year schools at the high end. Remember this is tuition and fees only — housing, food and books are extra.
Public or private — which is cheaper?
Public colleges usually have a much lower sticker price for state residents because taxpayers subsidize them. But private colleges often give larger scholarships, so the net price can end up similar. Always compare after aid, not before.
Do I have to live in Kentucky to get in-state tuition?
Generally yes, and the rules are stricter than people expect. Most states require 12 months of residency for reasons other than education, plus proof like a driver's license, voter registration and tax filings. Check the specific school's residency policy.
About this data
Every figure comes from IPEDS 2022 — the survey every U.S. college receiving federal student aid must complete. We list published tuition and fees for full-time undergraduates. Schools that did not report tuition appear at the bottom with a dash. Confirm current pricing on each school's website before applying.