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University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY · City · 24,763 students
Website Common App Forbes ranking Scorecard
Dec 1 · Early Action · in 51 days
Checked Sep 2026 · admission.uky.edu
$18,851
Average net priceYour net price
In-state
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
71%
Graduation rate
70% typical
$59,025
Earnings 10 years on
$63,395 typical
93%
Acceptance rate
73% typical · not scored
Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
About

As Kentucky’s flagship public research institution, the University of Kentucky is widely recognized for top-tier programs in pharmacy, nursing, engineering, business, and world-leading equine studies rooted in the Bluegrass region. A major distinction is that UK is one of only a few universities nationwide to house all six major healthcare disciplines alongside agriculture, law, and engineering on a single contiguous campus. Student life is deeply immersed in the passionate school spirit of "Big Blue Nation," marked by legendary SEC basketball traditions and an active, welcoming community in the vibrant college town of Lexington.

Wikipedia:The University of Kentucky is a public land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, the university is one of the state's two land-grant universities. It is the institution with the highest enrollment in the state, with 35,952 students in the fall of 2024.

Location
Lexington, KY, 40506-0032 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
CVG · Cincinnati
70 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
In-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$13,502$34,140
Housing & food (on campus)$16,016$16,016
Books & supplies$1,200$1,200
Cost of attendance$34,391$55,029 est.
Average net price$18,851Not published
Out-of-state prices
Tuition & fees$34,140
In-state: $13,502
Housing & food (on campus)$16,016
Books & supplies$1,200
Cost of attendance$55,029 est.
In-state: $34,391
Average net priceNot published
In-state: $18,851
est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.
Net price by family income · in-state students
$0–30k
$12,182
$30–48k
$12,119
$48–75k
$16,313
$75–110k
$21,192
$110k+
$26,781
Grants from the school
87% of first-years get a grant from the school, averaging $9,939
Source: College Navigator (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS)
Merit aid
Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.
Average award$8,450
First-years who got one2,436
Source: University of Kentucky's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
71%
Within 4 yrs
55%
Back for yr 2
87%
Transferred
0%
Pell students: 56.8% · others: 75.9% 
8 yrs after starting
69% graduated · 22% transferred · 9% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings
6 yrs after entry$47,266
10 yrs after entry$59,025
Debt
Median at graduation$22,500
Monthly payment$239
Middle 50% owe$5.9k–$26.9k
90th percentile$32,400
Green marks a figure above the typical Doctoral University: 70% graduate within 6 yrs.
Admissions
Getting in
Admit rate
93%
Test policy
Test optional
SAT average
1215
R 540–650 · M 530–640
ACT midpoint
26
Comp 21–28 · E 21–30 · M 20–27
SAT middle 50%: 1070–1290
40080012001600
Admitted students
Admit rate: men 91.3% · women 94.1% 
Yield: 22.2% of admitted students enroll 
Application deadlines · first-year, fall 2027 entry
Early Action
Dec 1 2026
in 51 days
Not binding: apply early, hear early, and you can still apply elsewhere.
Regular Decision
Feb 15 2027
in 127 days
Not binding: the standard deadline.
Checked Sep 2026 · admission.uky.edu · Confirm on the school's site before you apply.

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Essay prompts

If University of Kentucky asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 42%Women 58%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
18 : 1
Pell grant
23%
First-gen
23%
Family income
$61,931
Independent
11%
Veterans
0%
Age at entry
20.0
Part-time
6%
Where first-years come from
In state (KY)
58.3%
Out of state
40.7%
International
1.0%

Most out-of-state first-years from: IL 540 · OH 501 · TN 144 · PA 143 · VA 135

Race & ethnicity
White
76%
Hispanic
7%
Black
6%
Asian
4%
Two or more
4%
Non-resident
1%
Unknown
1%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division I-FBS
  • Baseball
    Men's
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Football
    Men's
  • Golf
    Men's · Women's
  • Gymnastics
    Women's
  • Other Sports
    Women's
  • Rifle
    Co-ed
  • Soccer
    Men's · Women's
  • Softball
    Women's
  • Swimming and Diving (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Tennis
    Men's · Women's
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Volleyball
    Women's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs
After 6 yrs
$47,266
After 10 yrs
$59,025
Business/Commerce, General392
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing387
Marketing385
Finance and Financial Management Services327
Psychology, General276
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas274
Biology, General205
Communication and Media Studies190
Computer and Information Sciences, General156
Mechanical Engineering156
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication134
Accounting and Related Services121
Political Science and Government112
Neurobiology and Neurosciences108
Civil Engineering98
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General93
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$2.0B
Full-time faculty
82%
Faculty salary
$11,984/mo
Teaching spend
$13,191
per student
Federal loans
34%
Classification
Carnegie type
Doctoral University
Research activity
R1 — very high research
$528M research spending · 321 research doctorates a year
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, selective admissions

Wondering if University of Kentucky is the right fit for you?

omhu builds a personalized college list — reach, match, and safety schools — tailored to your profile, grades, and goals. Get financial aid estimates, scholarship guidance, and deep dives on every school.

Personalized reach / match / safety list
Financial aid & net cost estimates
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Scholarship search