Kentucky State University
Kentucky State University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Kentucky State University Featured Rankings
- #4 Best Small Colleges in Kentucky
- #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Kentucky
- #7 Best Public Colleges in Kentucky
- #7 Kentucky's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #7 Kentucky's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #7 Most Affordable Colleges in Kentucky
- #8 HBCU Online Doctoral Programs
- #10 Best Colleges in Kentucky 2026
- #13 Online Master's in Behavior Analysis
- #15 HBCU Online Master's Programs
- #17 Best Online HBCUs
About Kentucky State University
According to Wikipedia, Kentucky State University is a public historically black land-grant university in Frankfort, Kentucky. Founded in 1886 as the State Normal School for Colored Persons, and becoming a land-grant college in 1890, KSU is the second-oldest state-supported institution of higher learning in Kentucky. In fall 2019, total undergraduate enrollment was 2,029 with a total graduate enrollment of 142.
Kentucky State University's Online Degrees
Undergraduate Certificate in Network Associate
- Required Credits: 12
- Format: Fully online
Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity
- Required Credits: 12
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Intelligence Studies
- Format: Fully online
Undergraduate Certificate in Aquaculture/Aquatic Sciences
- Required Credits: 12
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Environmental Studies
- Required Credits: 12
- Format: Fully online
MS in Environmental Studies, Cace
- Required Credits: 36
- Format: Fully online
Kentucky State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,001 | 96% | 64% | 30% | 15 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Kentucky State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $9,807 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $16,754 |
| 30K - 48K | $16,380 |
| 48K - 75K | $17,248 |
| 75K - 110K | $22,603 |
| 110K+ | $23,093 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Kentucky State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Kentucky State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $42,650 a year, and 90% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Kentucky State University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 2,115 | 1,920 | 195 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Kentucky State University?
Kentucky State University is located at 400 East Main Street, Frankfort, KY 40601-2355.
How Safe is Kentucky State University?
Relative to its enrollment, Kentucky State University has a violent crime rate of 0.10% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Frankfort has a violent crime rate of 0.21% and a property crime rate of 1.65%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Kentucky State University Known For?
Kentucky State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Social Work
- Engineering
- Education
- Biology
- Political Science
- Mathematics
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
- Literature
- Medical
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Nursing
- Computer Science
Kentucky State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Kentucky State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Kentucky State University ranks #300 in the U.S. and #731 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesKentucky State University ranks #381 in the U.S. and #2331 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesKentucky State University ranks #394 in the U.S. and #1673 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesKentucky State University ranks #495 in the U.S. and #2107 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesKentucky State University ranks #570 in the U.S. and #2385 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesKentucky State University ranks #609 in the U.S. and #2532 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesKentucky State University ranks #839 in the U.S. and #1585 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesKentucky State University ranks #1081 in the U.S. and #4108 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesKentucky State University ranks #1152 in the U.S. and #3459 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesKentucky State University ranks #1228 in the U.S. and #4223 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesKentucky State University ranks #1243 in the U.S. and #4005 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesKentucky State University ranks #1403 in the U.S. and #3693 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesKentucky State University ranks #1468 in the U.S. and #3716 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesKentucky State University ranks #1482 in the U.S. and #6102 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWho Are Kentucky State University's Most Influential Alumni?
Kentucky State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Social Work, Criminal Justice, and Education. Here are some of Kentucky State University's most famous alumni:
- Whitney Young
- An American civil rights leader.
- Tom Colbert
- An American judge.
- Margaret Buckner Young
- An American educator and author.
- Jayjay Helterbrand
- A Filipino basketball player.
- Rhonda Childress
- A .
- Eleanor Young Love
- A Librarian .
- Yingluck Shinawatra
- A Prime Minister of Thailand from 2011 to 2014.
- Tim Duncan
- A Player of American football.
