Cost, debt & salary

Is University of Kentucky worth it? What it costs, and what graduates earn

You would borrow a median $22,500 — about $256 a month for ten years. Graduates earn a median $59,025 ten years after starting, so the debt clears in roughly 1.2 years of the salary premium.

C

Is it worth the money?

It is a fair deal, close to the national middle. What you study and what you borrow will matter more than the badge.

You borrow $22,500 median federal debt at graduation
You repay $256/mo standard 10-year federal plan
You earn $59,025 median, 10 years after entry · beats 59%
Debt clears in 1.2 yrs ranked 348 of 810

What that feels like each month Repayment against the salary that has to cover it.

Gross monthly pay
$4,919
Loan repayment
$256
Share of your pay
5.2%
0%15% — the comfort line25%

Under roughly 15% of gross pay, repayment is generally considered manageable alongside rent and living costs.

Cut the debt before you borrow it

Every dollar you win is a dollar you never repay — and it moves the 1.2-year payback above. We list 5 scholarships tied to University of Kentucky.

University of Kentucky USA Incoming Students Scholarship 2025 USA University of Kentucky International Ambassador Scholarshi... Lyman T. Johnson Postdoctoral Fellowship in USA, 2017 Lyman T. Johnson Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Kent... University Research Postdoctoral Fellowship in USA, 2017
See all 5 University of Kentucky scholarships →

Need a student loan for University of Kentucky?

Tell us what you need and we will come back with the lenders that actually fund students from your country — including options with no US co-signer. No obligation, and we never charge you.

Free for students. We are not a lender and give no financial advice — we pass your request to partners and may be paid by them if you go ahead. One request per person per service; sending it again simply updates what we hold.

How University of Kentucky compares Against the 810 US universities we grade on payback.

The typical graded university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt. University of Kentucky clears its debt faster than that, and its graduates earn $19,505 a year more than a US worker with only a high-school diploma.

Nearby universityGradeDebtEarningsPayback
Centre College Kentucky C $27,000 $66,240 1 yrs
Berea College Kentucky C $3,591 $43,150 1 yrs
University of Louisville Kentucky C $20,500 $53,899 1.4 yrs
Transylvania University Kentucky D $27,000 $54,705 1.8 yrs
Northern Kentucky University Kentucky D $23,000 $50,220 2.2 yrs

University of Kentucky — the money questions

How much do graduates of University of Kentucky earn?
Median earnings are $59,025 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled — from tax records, not a survey. That is higher than 59% of the US universities we hold figures for.
How much debt will I have at University of Kentucky?
The median graduate leaves with $22,500 of federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $256 a month — roughly 5.2% of the median graduate's monthly pay before tax.
How long does a degree from University of Kentucky take to pay for itself?
About 1.2 years of the salary premium — the amount graduates earn above the $39,520 a US worker with only a high-school diploma makes. That ranks it 348 of 810 US universities we grade on payback.
Can scholarships reduce this debt?
Yes — we list 5 scholarships tied to University of Kentucky. Each award you win comes straight off the borrowing above, and the payback figure falls with it.
Do these numbers apply to my subject?
No. The Department of Education publishes one figure per institution, so nursing, engineering and fine art students at University of Kentucky all sit inside the same median. Treat it as the size of the financial risk, not a salary forecast for your course.
University of Kentucky profile Programmes at University of Kentucky University of Kentucky scholarships University of Kentucky review & grade Compare with Centre College Payback across Kentucky What University of Kentucky costs Student loan record SAT scores & admission Fastest-paying US degrees Lowest student debt How we calculate this

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard — earnings and debt cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject taught at the institution. Figures imported 28 Aug 2026. This page is information, not financial advice.