University of Kentucky

www.uky.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$11,247

1.01% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$20,043

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

1.68%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

94%

21,695 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

30,390

86.5% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

67.8%

3,469 Graduates

About

University of Kentucky is a higher education institution located in Fayette County, KY. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of Kentucky were General Marketing & Marketing Management (343 degrees awarded), General Business (324 degrees), and Registered Nursing (293 degrees).

In 2021, 8,208 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of Kentucky. 58.2% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 41.8% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (6,103 degrees), 11.6 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (525 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of Kentucky is $11,247, which is $−17,745 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by Tom Ipri

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at University of Kentucky is $11,247, which is $−17,745 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $20,043.

In 2021, 88% of undergraduate students attending University of Kentucky received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 36% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$11,247

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at University of Kentucky was $11,247. The cost of tuition at University of Kentucky is $−17,745 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of University of Kentucky (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$20,043

2021 Value

1.07%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 University of Kentucky had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $20,043. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of University of Kentucky grew by 1.07%.

This chart compares the average net price of University of Kentucky (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$13,588

Room and Board

$1,000

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of Kentucky was of $13,588 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 2.86% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,000. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at University of Kentucky (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

88%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

36%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

88% of undergraduate students at University of Kentucky received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2020, when 88% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at University of Kentucky (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.68%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at University of Kentucky was 1.68%, which represents 86 out of the 5109 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

University of Kentucky received 21,695 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 10.4% annual growth. Out of those 21,695 applicants, 20,396 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 94% acceptance rate.

There were 30,390 students enrolled at University of Kentucky in 2021. 10% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of Kentucky has an overall enrollment yield of 23.1%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

94%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

20,396

Accepted Out of 21,695

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of Kentucky was 94% (20,396 admissions from 21,695 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 96.4%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 10.4%, while admissions grew by 7.73%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of Kentucky (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

10%

Submission Percentage (2021)

462

Scores Submitted (2021)

10% of enrolled first-time students at University of Kentucky in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of Kentucky had a total enrollment of 30,390 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at University of Kentucky is 26,273 students and the part-time enrollment is 4,117. This means that 86.5% of students enrolled at University of Kentucky are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at University of Kentucky, both undergraduate and graduate, is 73.3% White, 7.05% Black or African American, 5.37% Hispanic or Latino, 3.65% Asian, 3.6% Two or More Races, 0.191% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0625% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of Kentucky in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (43.3%), followed by White Male (31.7%) and Black or African American Female (4.21%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (42.2%), followed by White Male (25.5%) and Black or African American Female (4.58%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

86.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of Kentucky in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 30,390 students. The full-time enrollment at University of Kentucky is 26,273 and the part-time enrollment is 4,117. This means that 86.5% of students enrolled at University of Kentucky are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of Kentucky (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

86%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of Kentucky was 86%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), University of Kentucky had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of Kentucky (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
22,283 enrolled students
Black or African American
2,143 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,631 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of Kentucky is 73.3% White, 7.05% Black or African American, 5.37% Hispanic or Latino, 3.65% Asian, 3.6% Two or More Races, 0.191% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0625% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 847 students (2.79%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 1,340 more women than men received degrees from University of Kentucky. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of Kentucky is white (6,103 degrees awarded). There were 11.6 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (525 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of Kentucky is General Marketing & Marketing Management (343 degrees awarded), followed by General Business (324 degrees) and Registered Nursing (293 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at University of Kentucky, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Library Science (99 degrees awarded), Agriculture (282 degrees), and Public Administration and Social Service (408 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Software developers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Kentucky are Software developers (434,897 people), Other managers (358,501 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (337,722 people), Civil engineers (261,569 people), and Mechanical engineers (192,221 people).

The most specialized majors at University of Kentucky in 2021 are Library Science (99 degrees awarded), Agriculture (282 degrees), Public Administration and Social Service (408 degrees), Engineering (649 degrees), and Math & Statistics (166 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Kentucky are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Physicians, Aircraft pilots & flight engineers, and Nurse anesthetists

The most specialized majors at University of Kentucky are Library Science (99 degrees awarded), Agriculture (282 degrees), Public Administration and Social Service (408 degrees), Engineering (649 degrees), and Math & Statistics (166 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Computer Systems Design

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Kentucky are Computer Systems Design (477,368 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (416,773 people), Construction (285,382 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (280,673 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (258,897 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of Kentucky.

Most Common (2021)

General Marketing & Marketing Management
343 degrees awarded
General Business
324 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
293 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of Kentucky was General Marketing & Marketing Management with 343 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at University of Kentucky according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

3,434

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

4,774

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 3,434 degrees were awarded to men at University of Kentucky, which is 0.719 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,774).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of Kentucky by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 255 degrees were awarded to men at University of Kentucky in General Business, which is 1.32 times more than the 193 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 291 degrees were awarded to men at University of Kentucky in Social Work, which is 5.29 times more than the 55 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

45%

100% Completion Time

66%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 45% of students graduating from University of Kentucky completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 66% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 68% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Male

Highest Graduation Rate (78.8%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at University of Kentucky is Male and Asian (78.8% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.57% of graduates (89 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
6,103 degrees awarded
Black or African American
525 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
347 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of Kentucky is white (6,103 degrees awarded). There were 11.6 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (525 degrees).

3.62% of degree recipients (297 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
3,594 degrees awarded
White Male
2,509 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
328 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of Kentucky is white female (3,594 degrees awarded). There were 1.43 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (2509 degrees).

Operations

University of Kentucky has an endowment valued at nearly $1.86B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 449M (24.1%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, University of Kentucky had a total salary expenditure of 3.9B. University of Kentucky employs 454 Professors, 430 Associate professors and 306 Assistant professors. Most academics at University of Kentucky are Male Professor (328), Male Associate professor (248), and Female Associate professor (182).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Kentucky are: Office and Administrative Support, with 1,425 employees, Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 1,341 employees, and Management with 650 employees.

Endowment

$1.86B

2021 Endowment

36.5%

growth from 2020

University of Kentucky has an endowment valued at about $1.86B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of University of Kentucky grew 36.5% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $1.48B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at University of Kentucky (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$1.76B

2021 Salaries

4.43%

growth from 2020

In 2021, University of Kentucky paid a median of $1.76B in salaries, which represents 45.1% of their overall expenditure ($3.9B) and a 4.43% growth from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$150M

Instructional Salaries

1,400

Number of Employees

In 2021, University of Kentucky paid a total of $150M to 1,400 employees working as instructors, which represents 8.54% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

454 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1,425 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of Kentucky were Professor with 454 employees, Associate professor with 430 employees, and Assistant professor with 306 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Kentucky were Office and Administrative Support with 1,425 employees, Computer, Engineering, and Science with 1,341 employees, and Management with 650 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of Kentucky was Male Professor with 328 employees, Male Associate professor with 248 employees, and Female Associate professor with 182 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at University of Kentucky.