Kentucky has 87 colleges including 38 four-year colleges, 22 community colleges, and 27 trade schools. By control type, 24 schools are public and 63 schools are private. 292,658 students enrolled in Kentucky colleges according to IPEDS.
For 4-year colleges, commonly said to as colleges, there are 38 schools are active in Kentucky (8 public and 30 private). 204,508 students enrolled in the schools, by gender, 82,957 men and 121,551 women students.
These colleges have an average acceptance rate of 77.79% and an average SAT score of 1,094. The average tuition & fees for in-state students is $11,126 and for out-of-state students is $22,770. The average enrollment is about 5,382 students per college. On average, each college offers about 70 programs.
The following table lists major colleges in Kentucky that have high enrollment, good academic reputation, and recognized by Kentucky residents. It includes 6 public institutions and 1 private institutions.
| Region | Prominent Institutions |
|---|---|
| Lexington Area | University of Kentucky (Lexington), Transylvania University (Lexington) |
| Louisville Area | University of Louisville (Louisville), Bellarmine University (Louisville) |
| Western Kentucky | Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green) |
| Eastern Kentucky | Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond) |
University of Kentucky, located in Lexington, is generally considered the flagship institution in Kentucky. It offers wide range of programs in both undergraduate and graduate levels, including 209 graduate programs and 43 online programs. Its total enrollment is approximately 34,709 including 5,063 online students.
University of Kentucky has the highest enrollment among these colleges, with a student population of 34,709 students. It offers the largest number of programs of 441.
Of the major colleges in Kentucky, 3 law schools and 2 medical schools are affiliated with these colleges. University of Kentucky and University of Louisville have both a law school and a medical school. You can check the law schools and medical schools in the table below.
| Name | Graduate Programs | Distance Learning | Tuition & Fees | Adm. Rate | SAT Score | Enroll | Offered Programs | Law School | Medical School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky Lexington | Yes | Yes | $34,140 | 92.94% | 1180 | 34,709 | 441 | Visit | Visit |
| University of Louisville Louisville | Yes | Yes | $29,482 | 79.41% | 1150 | 23,065 | 246 | Visit | Visit |
| Western Kentucky University Bowling Green | Yes | Yes | $27,000 | 93.87% | 930 | 16,291 | 217 | ||
| Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights | Yes | Yes | $21,912 | 67.65% | 1040 | 15,347 | 131 | Visit | |
| Eastern Kentucky University Richmond | Yes | Yes | $21,230 | 77.61% | 970 | 15,673 | 164 | ||
| Campbellsville University Campbellsville | Yes | Yes | $27,998 | 79.74% | 10,836 | 120 | |||
| Murray State University Murray | Yes | Yes | $19,836 | 85.68% | 1060 | 10,020 | 154 |