Most Affordable Colleges in Kentucky 2025

Badge for MOST AFFORDABLE COLLEGES IN KENTUCKY

Published: Mar 25, 2021
Updated: Sep 30, 2024

Here are the most affordable colleges and universities in Kentucky. Our list will help you find the right kind of school for you, at a price you can afford.

Key Takeaways

Kentucky offers numerous scholarship and grant opportunities to students who need support.
For those students who call Kentucky home, attending an in-state school will almost always be more affordable than attending a college outside the state.
Kentucky is known for its Academic Common Market Program, an initiative that allows students from 14 other states to pay in-state tuition while attending a participating college outside the state.

Table of Contents

10 Most Affordable Colleges in Kentucky in 2025

University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
Western Kentucky University
Northern Kentucky University
+1
Eastern Kentucky University
–1
Murray State University
Kentucky State University
+2
Morehead State University
–1
University of the Cumberlands
–1
Sullivan University

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.

In 2025, the top ten schools in our ranking of the most affordable colleges in Kentucky saw a slight amount of shuffling. Kentucky State University was able to gain two ranking positions as the university opened the Center for Agricultural Innovation, offering hands-on training and research opportunities in sustainable farming, agri-tech, and environmental sciences. The university has also expanded its STEM programs, with new labs and equipment for research in fields like bioengineering and renewable energy. Additionally, Kentucky State has launched a Student Success Hub, which provides personalized academic advising, career counseling, and wellness support, all aimed at ensuring student achievement.

Kentucky’s Inexpensive Higher Education

Kentucky, the Bluegrass State, and the 13^th smallest state in the US has some of the best universities and colleges in the world. These schools promise student success, and in many cases, deliver a quality education that is inexpensive as well.

With more than 54 universities, the state provides students with impressive academic quality in the bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees of their choosing, as well as a positive campus life experience.

While there are numerous schools and degree programs offered in the state of Kentucky, there may be instances when a specific degree program is not offered at a school in the state. In these cases, the Commonwealth does offer a special incentive program in agreement with a number of other surrounding states.

The Academic Common Market allows students to attend college in other states, while still paying an in-state tuition rate when attending a college with an approved degree program that is not offered in Kentucky. Curently there are more than 230 such degree programs.

Louisville and Frankfort, two cities in Kentucky, offer social atmospheres and inspirational environments that students will love to learn in. And since the state is bordered by the Ohio River and Mississippi River, the scenic areas of the state give students a very stimulating environment that allows them to receive the best education.

Kentucky Scholarships in Top Kentucky Colleges

While the cost of college attendance in Kentucky varies, the state offers a handful of scholarships that will certainly help cut down the cost of schooling. Below are some of the most popular ones.

George T. Lilly Industrial Arts Scholarship: This is for undergraduate students enrolled at Murray State University and majoring in Industrial Technology Education. To qualify for this academic support, students should have at least a 3.0 GPA.

Jacobs Eagle Athletic Scholarship: This is a scholarship for full-time undergraduates enrolled at Morehead State University who are players on the school’s football team.

Lewis & Ann Piper Scholarship: This is open for non-traditional undergraduate students over 60 years old and attending full-time at Midway College. Men can take offerings at the School for Career Development, while women may take any class for audit or credit.

Evelyn F. Knicely Scholarship: This is an annual award for college seniors or juniors attending Western Kentucky University - Gordon Ford College of Business majoring in Business Administration. To qualify for these financial aid packages, students must demonstrate academic achievement and prove financial needs.

Making Attending Kentucky Colleges Affordable

Earning a Kentucky college education or attending graduate school in the state is undeniably expensive. But affordable education is possible, particularly through programs that support students to obtain a nearly free education.

Attend an In-State Public University: You can save a lot of money if you attend college in your home state. Colleges assume that your family pays your taxes in your state. Those taxes are then used to support education for in-state students. Barring state agreements, which are common among public colleges in neighboring states, out-of-state college students tend to pay three times as much in tuition fees—rates that are closer to those of private colleges.

Start at a Community College: This is the most affordable way to earn your bachelor’s degree. In a community college, you will only pay a fraction of what you will usually pay at traditional four-year institutions. In 2023-2024, community college students only paid $3,770 (average) for the whole year.

Stay Away from For-Profit Colleges: For-profit colleges make promises to potential students thru deceptive marketing practices, but later fail to graduate or connect them to promised job opportunities

This is the very reason why these colleges have come under scrutiny from policymakers and educators, saying that these schools target underserved students. At present, the default loan rates for for-profit college students are twice the rates that students attending a public two-year college pay.

Apply For Financial Aid Ahead of Time: College tuition is very pricey, but many students do not necessarily pay the full price. The Department of Education asserts that roughly 40% of students from families who earn less than $125,000 each year receive enough financial aid to cover their full tuition at public universities.

Federal student aid helps make college affordable. However, the complex paperwork, coupled with unclear deadlines, works against underserved students. Those who need financial assistance should apply early to ensure they get financial aid. Early compliance and submission of the FAFSA also raises the chances of getting connected to other grants and state-based merit aid programs.

There are 11 colleges and universities in Kentucky with stated tuitions and fees under $20,000/year. The following list of the most affordable colleges and universities in Kentucky is composed entirely of schools offering bachelor’s degree programs, have stated tuition and fees near or under the national average of $16,000/year, and are fully accredited colleges.