List of 38 best universities in Kentucky

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Top 38 universities in Kentucky ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 6.87M citations received by 247K academic publications made by 38 universities from Kentucky, the popularity of 1,300 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of Kentucky

Lexington

#63 in the United States

#68 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 97%

2. University of Louisville

Louisville

#126 in the United States

#146 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 97%

3. Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green

#269 in the United States

#300 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 915
Average ACT: 18
Receiving Aid: 99%

4. Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond

#393 in the United States

#437 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 99%

5. Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights

#434 in the United States

#480 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1025
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 99%

6. Murray State University

Murray

#471 in the United States

#519 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

7. Berea College

Berea

#669 in the United States

#730 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Average SAT: 1246
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $4,379

8. Morehead State University

Morehead

#714 in the United States

#779 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $12,802
Enrollment: 8,618

9. Kentucky State University

Frankfort

#730 in the United States

#797 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 915
Average ACT: 17
Receiving Aid: 100%

10. Bellarmine University

Louisville

#762 in the United States

#830 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1159
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,432

11. Centre College

Danville

#795 in the United States

#863 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1327
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $23,780

12. Asbury Theological Seminary

Wilmore

#973 in the United States

#1043 in North America

Enrollment: 1,715
Male:Female: 60:40

13. University of the Cumberlands

Williamsburg

#979 in the United States

#1049 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Net Price: $11,555
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $13,109

14. Transylvania University

Lexington

#995 in the United States

#1066 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $25,634

15. Brescia University

Owensboro

#1008 in the United States

#1080 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Net Price: $15,087
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,558

16. Spalding University

Louisville

#1082 in the United States

#1155 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Average SAT: 978
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $25,539

17. Lindsey Wilson College

Columbia

#1139 in the United States

#1215 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $14,422
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,355

18. Asbury University

Wilmore

#1160 in the United States

#1236 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Net Price: $21,375
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,903

19. Georgetown College

Georgetown

#1172 in the United States

#1248 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $14,878

20. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Louisville

#1215 in the United States

#1291 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1116
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,873

21. Sullivan University

Louisville

#1248 in the United States

#1325 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $22,766
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $8,376

22. Thomas More College

Crestview Hills

#1349 in the United States

#1428 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $21,314

23. Campbellsville University

Campbellsville

#1361 in the United States

#1440 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Net Price: $18,777
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $22,113

24. University of Pikeville

Pikeville

#1376 in the United States

#1455 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $13,819
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $19,395

25. Frontier Nursing University

Hyden

#1566 in the United States

#1652 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Enrollment: 2,548
Male:Female: 6:94

26. Kentucky Wesleyan College

Owensboro

#1659 in the United States

#1746 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 940
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $20,867

27. Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Louisville

#1682 in the United States

#1769 in North America

Enrollment: 94
Male:Female: 28:72

28. Midway University

Midway

#1741 in the United States

#1829 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $24,739

29. Alice Lloyd College

Pippa Passes

#1803 in the United States

#1892 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $18,066
Receiving Aid: 98%

30. Kentucky Christian University

Grayson

#1815 in the United States

#1904 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 970
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $22,209

31. Lexington Theological Seminary

Lexington

#1873 in the United States

#1963 in North America

Enrollment: 93
Male:Female: 50:50

32. Union College - Kentucky

Barbourville

#2025 in the United States

#2118 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1013
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $19,223

33. Galen College of Nursing - Louisville

Louisville

#2085 in the United States

#2180 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $23,144
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $8,418

34. Simmons College of Kentucky

Louisville

#2090 in the United States

#2185 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Net Price: $19,083
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $6,641

35. Kentucky Mountain Bible College

Jackson

#2121 in the United States

#2217 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $11,160
Receiving Aid: 100%

36. Daymar College - Bowling Green

Bowling Green

#2161 in the United States

#2258 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $28,083
Receiving Aid: 77%
Average Aid: $4,672

37. Beckfield College - Florence

Florence

#2251 in the United States

#2351 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $26,994
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $5,126

38. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College

Pineville

#2291 in the United States

#2392 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $13,182
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $7,353

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Tennessee	56	50
Indiana	55	33
Ohio	90	18
West Virginia	26	105
Illinois	100	15
North Carolina	65	24
Georgia	63	47
Virginia	63	40
South Carolina	37	89
Alabama	33	87
Missouri	67	39
Mississippi	18	132
Arkansas	24	128
District of Columbia	15	55
Maryland	34	9
Pennsylvania	155	12
Michigan	62	3
Delaware	5	82
Iowa	39	48
Wisconsin	47	13
New Jersey	47	21
Louisiana	27	79
New York	221	4
Florida	109	23
Kansas	32	74
Connecticut	28	10
Oklahoma	31	99
Minnesota	48	14
Massachusetts	88	1
Rhode Island	12	49
Vermont	17	111
New Hampshire	16	76
Nebraska	23	64
South Dakota	15	232
Texas	119	26
Maine	19	154
North Dakota	14	177
Colorado	38	44
New Mexico	12	84
Wyoming	1	146
Montana	12	145
Utah	20	41
Arizona	25	35
Idaho	10	149
Nevada	10	129
Puerto Rico	52	367
US Virgin Islands	1	790
Oregon	31	60
California	249	2
Washington	57	8
Alaska	6	181
Hawaii	10	159
American Samoa	1	1689
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1585
Guam	2	601

Closest to Kentucky states