Best Nursing Colleges in Kentucky2026 Rankings
Kentucky is home to 22 accredited institutions offering Nursing 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 $21,326, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $25,709. Median early-career earnings for Nursing graduates in this state average $40,108 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 48%.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berea CollegePrivate | Great· 40 | 33% | 62% | $5,844 | $67,510 | 9:1 | 37 | 1,472 |
| 2 | Morehead State UniversityPublic | Strong· 36 | 82% | 48% | $9,920 | $70,523 | 14:1 | 51 | 4,689 |
| 3 | Eastern Kentucky UniversityPublic | Strong· 36 | 78% | 50% | $9,326 | $68,633 | 15:1 | 68 | 11,674 |
| 4 | University of LouisvillePublic | Strong· 35 | 81% | 61% | $16,510 | $69,027 | 14:1 | 51 | 14,187 |
| 5 | University of KentuckyPublic | Good· 33 | 92% | 70% | $14,557 | $71,461 | 17:1 | 91 | 23,189 |
| 6 | University of the CumberlandsPrivate | Good· 33 | 71% | 46% | $11,476 | $81,012 | 19:1 | 31 | 5,468 |
| 7 | Kentucky State UniversityPublic | Good· 33 | 93% | 27% | $9,471 | $30,808 | 14:1 | 25 | 1,317 |
| 8 | Bellarmine UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 94% | 68% | $20,870 | $70,544 | 13:1 | 41 | 2,286 |
| 9 | Northern Kentucky UniversityPublic | Good· 32 | 96% | 48% | $6,638 | $68,649 | 18:1 | 57 | 8,065 |
| 10 | Murray State UniversityPublic | Good· 32 | 86% | 60% | $9,616 | $68,608 | 16:1 | 62 | 6,646 |
| 11 | Union CollegePrivate | Good· 31 | 55% | 36% | $25,500 | $72,614 | 14:1 | 28 | 736 |
| 12 | Thomas More UniversityPrivate | Average· 29 | 97% | 40% | $19,388 | $70,955 | 14:1 | 37 | 1,305 |
| 13 | Kentucky Christian UniversityPrivate | Average· 29 | 62% | 34% | $20,416 | $76,970 | 12:1 | 14 | 438 |
| 14 | Campbellsville UniversityPrivate | Average· 28 | 98% | 47% | $16,425 | $65,518 | 21:1 | 46 | 2,641 |
| 15 | Midway UniversityPrivate | Average· 27 | 95% | 46% | $21,880 | $40,330 | 15:1 | 20 | 1,250 |
| 16 | Western Kentucky UniversityPublic | Average· 27 | 97% | 54% | $17,417 | $68,294 | 18:1 | 80 | 12,267 |
| 17 | Spalding UniversityPrivate | Average· 27 | 99% | 57% | $23,416 | $65,552 | 11:1 | 16 | 597 |
| 18 | University of PikevillePrivate | Fair· 25 | — | 39% | $13,903 | $82,878 | 14:1 | 23 | 1,140 |
| 19 | Lindsey Wilson CollegePrivate | Fair· 24 | — | 38% | $12,466 | $66,800 | 17:1 | 24 | 1,649 |
| 20 | Sullivan UniversityPrivate | Weak· 19 | — | 30% | $30,837 | $41,718 | 14:1 | 22 | 2,498 |
| 21 | Galen College of Nursing-LouisvillePrivate | Very Poor· 12 | — | 63% | — | $76,234 | 12:1 | 1 | 4,184 |
| 22 | Beckfield College-FlorencePrivate | Very Poor· 10 | — | 30% | $28,624 | $83,033 | 18:1 | 4 | 612 |