Best English Colleges in Kentucky2026 Rankings
Kentucky is home to 24 accredited institutions offering English programs — from large public research universities to small private liberal arts colleges. This ranking evaluates each school on admission selectivity, four-year graduation rate, net price, and graduate earnings to surface the programs that deliver the strongest outcomes.
Among the schools listed here, Berea College is the most selective, admitting 33% of applicants. Average in-state tuition across this group sits at $25,691, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $29,526. Median early-career earnings for English graduates in this state average $34,758 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 51%.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Centre CollegePrivate | Excellent· 44 | 54% | 85% | $17,317 | $35,290 | 10:1 | 26 | 1,346 |
| 2 | Berea CollegePrivate | Great· 40 | 33% | 62% | $5,844 | $13,403 | 9:1 | 37 | 1,472 |
| 3 | Brescia UniversityPrivate | Strong· 37 | 35% | 46% | $12,467 | $36,279 | 8:1 | 31 | 538 |
| 4 | Morehead State UniversityPublic | Strong· 36 | 82% | 48% | $9,920 | $37,904 | 14:1 | 51 | 4,689 |
| 5 | Transylvania UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 85% | 70% | $21,414 | $32,785 | 10:1 | 35 | 1,014 |
| 6 | Eastern Kentucky UniversityPublic | Strong· 36 | 78% | 50% | $9,326 | $20,091 | 15:1 | 68 | 11,674 |
| 7 | Georgetown CollegePrivate | Strong· 36 | 74% | 48% | $9,698 | $39,839 | 15:1 | 38 | 1,180 |
| 8 | Asbury UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 64% | 65% | $20,098 | $35,826 | 12:1 | 50 | 1,369 |
| 9 | University of LouisvillePublic | Strong· 35 | 81% | 61% | $16,510 | $28,994 | 14:1 | 51 | 14,187 |
| 10 | University of KentuckyPublic | Good· 33 | 92% | 70% | $14,557 | $21,404 | 17:1 | 91 | 23,189 |
| 11 | University of the CumberlandsPrivate | Good· 33 | 71% | 46% | $11,476 | $45,499 | 19:1 | 31 | 5,468 |
| 12 | Kentucky State UniversityPublic | Good· 33 | 93% | 27% | $9,471 | $30,808 | 14:1 | 25 | 1,317 |
| 13 | Bellarmine UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 94% | 68% | $20,870 | $32,295 | 13:1 | 41 | 2,286 |
| 14 | Northern Kentucky UniversityPublic | Good· 32 | 96% | 48% | $6,638 | $31,926 | 18:1 | 57 | 8,065 |
| 15 | Murray State UniversityPublic | Good· 32 | 86% | 60% | $9,616 | $25,543 | 16:1 | 62 | 6,646 |
| 16 | Union CollegePrivate | Good· 31 | 55% | 36% | $25,500 | $43,672 | 14:1 | 28 | 736 |
| 17 | Thomas More UniversityPrivate | Average· 29 | 97% | 40% | $19,388 | $56,001 | 14:1 | 37 | 1,305 |
| 18 | Campbellsville UniversityPrivate | Average· 28 | 98% | 47% | $16,425 | $36,643 | 21:1 | 46 | 2,641 |
| 19 | Midway UniversityPrivate | Average· 27 | 95% | 46% | $21,880 | $40,330 | 15:1 | 20 | 1,250 |
| 20 | Western Kentucky UniversityPublic | Average· 27 | 97% | 54% | $17,417 | $27,950 | 18:1 | 80 | 12,267 |
| 21 | Kentucky Wesleyan CollegePrivate | Average· 27 | 67% | 53% | $36,301 | $33,668 | 13:1 | 27 | 794 |
| 22 | Alice Lloyd CollegePrivate | Average· 26 | 86% | 26% | $17,436 | $30,744 | 14:1 | 16 | 528 |
| 23 | University of PikevillePrivate | Fair· 25 | — | 39% | $13,903 | $38,733 | 14:1 | 23 | 1,140 |
| 24 | Lindsey Wilson CollegePrivate | Fair· 24 | — | 38% | $12,466 | $33,041 | 17:1 | 24 | 1,649 |