Best colleges for nursing in Kentucky

    Union College-Kentucky ranks first in Kentucky for nursing value (#173 nationally, value score 62.6): graduates earn $87,221 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $11,010 a year.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 11 Kentucky colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026

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    Best nursing colleges in Kentucky

    Union College-Kentucky ranks first in Kentucky for nursing value (#173 nationally, value score 62.6): graduates earn $87,221 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $11,010 a year. 11 Kentucky colleges qualify. At the median one, nursing graduates earn $81,941 and the average net price is $12,395 a year.

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025

    What the data shows

    Key findings

    • 11 Kentucky colleges qualify. At the median one, nursing graduates earn $81,941 and the average net price is $12,395 a year.
    • The lowest average net price among them is at Northern Kentucky University: $8,976 a year.
    Median earnings
    $81,941
    National: $85,171
    Median net price
    $12,395
    National: $18,014
    Median federal debt
    $19,500
    nursing graduates
    Public colleges
    7 of 11
    in this list

    11 colleges

    The Kentucky ranking

    Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    1. Rank in Kentucky 1

      Union College-Kentucky

      Barbourville, KY · Private nonprofit · #173 nationally

      62.6Value
      Earnings
      $87,221
      Net price
      $11,010
      Federal debt
      $15,066
      Graduation rate
      40%
    2. Rank in Kentucky 2

      Morehead State University

      Morehead, KY · Public · #188 nationally

      61.3Value
      Earnings
      $85,740
      Net price
      $10,471
      Federal debt
      $16,173
      Graduation rate
      45%
    3. Rank in Kentucky 3

      Eastern Kentucky University

      Richmond, KY · Public · #288 nationally

      53.6Value
      Earnings
      $83,920
      Net price
      $11,925
      Federal debt
      $20,585
      Graduation rate
      51%
    4. Rank in Kentucky 4

      University of Kentucky

      Lexington, KY · Public · #342 nationally

      49.7Value
      Earnings
      $81,941
      Net price
      $18,868
      Federal debt
      $19,500
      Graduation rate
      72%
    5. Rank in Kentucky 5

      Bellarmine University

      Louisville, KY · Private nonprofit · #372 nationally

      47.6Value
      Earnings
      $82,814
      Net price
      $17,991
      Federal debt
      $22,875
      Graduation rate
      71%
    6. Rank in Kentucky 6

      Northern Kentucky University

      Highland Heights, KY · Public · #377 nationally

      47.5Value
      Earnings
      $77,404
      Net price
      $8,976
      Federal debt
      $18,000
      Graduation rate
      54%
    7. Rank in Kentucky 7

      University of Louisville

      Louisville, KY · Public · #434 nationally

      43.3Value
      Earnings
      $78,902
      Net price
      $14,960
      Federal debt
      $20,494
      Graduation rate
      60%
    8. Rank in Kentucky 8

      Murray State University-Kentucky

      Murray, KY · Public · #465 nationally

      41.3Value
      Earnings
      $72,462
      Net price
      $11,237
      Federal debt
      $17,200
      Graduation rate
      56%
    9. Rank in Kentucky 9

      Western Kentucky University

      Bowling Green, KY · Public · #555 nationally

      33.9Value
      Earnings
      $73,496
      Net price
      $12,395
      Federal debt
      $21,130
      Graduation rate
      54%
    10. Rank in Kentucky 10

      Thomas More University

      Crestview Hills, KY · Private nonprofit · #596 nationally

      29.9Value
      Earnings
      $82,426
      Net price
      $22,723
      Federal debt
      $26,000
      Graduation rate
      49%
    11. Rank in Kentucky 11

      Spalding University

      Louisville, KY · Private nonprofit · #632 nationally

      25.9Value
      Earnings
      $77,983
      Net price
      $24,262
      Federal debt
      $19,500
      Graduation rate
      45%

    Method: the same value score as the national nursing ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.

    Questions about nursing colleges in Kentucky

    What are the best colleges for nursing in Kentucky?

    By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Kentucky colleges for nursing are Union College-Kentucky (value score 62.6), Morehead State University (value score 61.3) and Eastern Kentucky University (value score 53.6). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.

    Which Kentucky college has the highest earnings for nursing graduates?

    Union College-Kentucky: its nursing graduates have median earnings of $87,221 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    What is the most affordable nursing college in Kentucky on this list?

    Northern Kentucky University has the lowest average net price of the ranked Kentucky colleges, $8,976 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.

    How many Kentucky colleges are ranked for nursing?

    11 Kentucky colleges have a nursing bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Kentucky.