Kentucky State University
Frankfort, KY 40601-2355
About Kentucky State University
Kentucky State University is a public research university in Frankfort, Kentucky, enrolling about 1,309 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 96.08% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $36,382 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Kentucky State University charges 70% above the national public median tuition ($9,387).
- Versus the Kentucky median, sticker tuition is 19% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 31.90%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $36,382.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Kentucky State University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1031% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky State University | $9,387 | $8,040 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Kentucky (state median) | $11,652 | $5,762 | 53 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 14% below published tuition at Kentucky State University
Key findings
- Kentucky State University's average net price ($8,040) is 14% below published tuition ($9,387).
- Kentucky State University charges 70% above the national public median tuition ($9,387).
- Versus the Kentucky median, sticker tuition is 19% below.
Kentucky State University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $9,387
Finding Kentucky State University charges 70% above the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $9,387. That is 70% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Kentucky median ($11,652), sticker tuition is 19% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 21% below.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Kentucky State University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Kentucky State University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Kentucky State University is $8,040.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $8,040 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $2,278 above the Kentucky median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $6,931 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Kentucky State University’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 14% lower after grants and scholarships.
Kentucky State University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Kentucky State University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$9,387
Out-of-state tuition
$13,658
Avg. net price
$8,040
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $10,225 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $6,739 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $5,256 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $1,958 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $37,548. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Kentucky State University is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General51
- Psychology, General42
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies32
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse27
- Computer and Information Sciences, General23
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 19% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 870
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Kentucky State University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Kentucky State University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Kentucky State University.
Campus
Location
Frankfort, KY
City / state
- ZIP
- 40601-2355
- NCES locale
- Town distant
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 0.5× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions
Size
Enrollment
1,309
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 2,509
- Graduate
- 227
- Full-time share
- 89%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$25,938
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 58.34%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Kentucky State University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Kentucky State University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Kentucky State University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $6,276 | $15,072 | $12,299 |
| 2014 | $7,404 | $17,214 | $8,593 |
| 2015 | $7,754 | $18,056 | $8,770 |
| 2016 | $7,754 | $18,056 | $7,034 |
| 2017 | $8,184 | $19,638 | $8,772 |
| 2018 | $8,090 | $19,390 | $10,109 |
| 2019 | $8,090 | $11,940 | $7,076 |
| 2020 | $8,800 | $12,650 | $7,343 |
| 2021 | $9,020 | $12,870 | $7,265 |
| 2022 | $9,004 | $12,882 | $11,619 |
| 2023 | $9,214 | $13,260 | $8,900 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 870 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Kentucky State University reported total enrollment of about 1,309 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 42% male and 58% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (78.8%), White (7.8%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (4.7%). About 58.34% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 40.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
88.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Kentucky State University in 2024 is 1,309 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 2,509 students. Graduate enrollment is about 227 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
63.7%
2024 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.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
13.81% 100% Completion Time
31.90% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 13.81% of students graduating from Kentucky State University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 61% male / 39% female
- Psychology, General: 7% male / 93% female
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 50% male / 50% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Kentucky State University graduates earn a median of $36,382 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Kentucky State University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $36,382. Median federal loan debt: $25,938. Average net price used in cost models: $8,040.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Kentucky State University graduates report median earnings of $36,382 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Kentucky State University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (33 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Kentucky State University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Kentucky State University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Kentucky State University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$20.2M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Kentucky median 0.46× the median ($43.7M)
- Southeast median near the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 0.77× the median ($26.4M)
- Kentucky median 0.53× the median ($26,161)
- Southeast median 1.5× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 55.7%
- Kentucky median 24.7 pp below median (80.4%)
- Southeast median 3.8 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 2.3 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,036
- Kentucky median 1.1× the median ($6,182)
- Southeast median near the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 0.92× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $6,140
- Kentucky median 1.1× the median ($5,808)
- Southeast median 0.93× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 0.84× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Kentucky State University at a glance
Kentucky State University
Kentucky State University is a public institution in Frankfort, KY, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralPsychology, GeneralLiberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
- Largest enrollment groups
- Black or African American78.8%White or Caucasian7.8%Race/ethnicity unknown4.7%
Schools near Kentucky State University
Other campuses in Frankfort, KY when available, plus nearby institutions in Kentucky.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Kentucky, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kentucky State University located?
Kentucky State University is located in Frankfort, KY.
What is Kentucky State University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Kentucky State University is 96.1% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 2,001 applicants and 1,852 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Kentucky State University's tuition?
Kentucky State University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $9,387 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $8,040 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Kentucky State University cost?
Reported tuition is $9,387 and average net price is $8,040 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $8,686 annually.
Why is Kentucky State University's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Kentucky State University, published tuition is $9,387 while average net price is $8,040—about 14% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Kentucky State University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($8,040), completion (31.9% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($36,382). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Kentucky State University?
Kentucky State University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 2,509 students, Black or African American (78.8%), White (7.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Kentucky State University?
About 40.0% of students at Kentucky State University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Kentucky State University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Kentucky State University reports midpoint SAT about 870.
What do graduates of Kentucky State University earn?
Median earnings are $29,640 six years after entry and $36,382 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Kentucky State University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 31.9% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Kentucky State University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $25,938.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.