A new study by SmartAsset has ranked the top 10 colleges and universities in Kentucky that represent the best overall value.
To determine each institution’s score, SmartAsset looked at five categories: tuition, student living costs, scholarship and grant offerings, student retention rate, and starting salary for new graduates.
Tuition (in-state where applicable) and student living costs (like room and board), books, supplies, transportation, and other personal expenses, were used to capture the general costs associated with attending each school.
The study then compared the factors that illustrate a student’s return on investment. Student retention rate shows the percentage of students that are re-enrolling at the institution from year-to-year. The average starting salary shows the potential financial earnings of new graduates when they enter the workforce. Scholarships and grants show the amount of financial backing colleges are endowing to their student body on a per-person basis.
The study applied 25% weighting to starting salary, tuition and living costs, and applied 12.5% weighting to scholarships, grants and retention rate to come up with the ‘Best Value Colleges’ index. Schools were ranked in accordance with their score on the index, with the No. 1 school receiving a score of 100 and each additional school’s index value representing how closely they compare.
Here is a look at the top-ranking colleges in Kentucky:
| Rank/School | Avg. Scholarships and Grants | Median Starting Salary | Tuition | Student Living Costs | Student Retention Rate | College Education Value – Index |
| 1.
Berea College |
$56,071 | $45,100 | $47,188 | $11,640 | 84% | 75.70 |
| 2. Kentucky State University | $9,763 | $44,800 | $9,546 | $10,606 | 70% | 59.71 |
| 3.
Centre College |
$32,865 | $53,100 | $49,206 | $16,190 | 89% | 58.00 |
| 4. Western Kentucky University | $7,973 | $49,200 | $12,404 | $13,367 | 73% | 56.93 |
| 5. Northern Kentucky University | $7,924 | $53,500 | $11,838 | $15,590 | 70% | 56.21 |
| 6. University of Kentucky | $10,841 | $56,000 | $14,449 | $21,070 | 86% | 53.79 |
| 7. Transylvania University | $29,485 | $50,900 | $45,725 | $16,001 | 84% | 52.74 |
| 8. Georgetown College | $38,383 | $48,400 | $45,607 | $15,670 | 72% | 51.62 |
| 9.
Murray State University |
$9,822 | $49,000 | $10,719 | $16,978 | 75% | 50.99 |
| 10.
Eastern Kentucky University |
$8,197 | $49,300 | $11,406 | $16,567 | 74% | 50.25 |
| $9,621 | $47,473 | $18,380 | $16,079 | 68% |
