Federal data
Public four-year colleges in Kentucky by graduates' median earnings 4 years after
Kentucky public four-year colleges, ranked by median earnings four years after completion, from College Scorecard (September 18, 2026). At least 5 colleges must report this figure for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 4 years after | Completions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Louisville | Louisville | Public, 4-year | $67,853 | 5,612 |
| 2 | University of Kentucky | Lexington | Public, 4-year | $65,922 | 9,545 |
| 3 | Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights | Public, 4-year | $58,429 | 3,878 |
| 4 | Eastern Kentucky University | Richmond | Public, 4-year | $54,691 | 3,517 |
| 5 | Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green | Public, 4-year | $53,602 | 4,271 |
| 6 | Murray State University | Murray | Public, 4-year | $50,487 | 2,338 |
| 7 | Morehead State University | Morehead | Public, 4-year | $50,224 | 1,282 |
| 8 | Kentucky State University | Frankfort | Public, 4-year | $46,766 | 351 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard, institution-wide rather than by one program.
How to read this. This is a whole-college figure across every program, not one program's graduates -- a college with mostly graduate or professional programs will show higher earnings than one that is mostly certificates. Completions shown alongside it are the latest IPEDS total on file.