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Best colleges in Kentucky

Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions a person will make for their education, impacting everything from future earnings and employment to potential student loan debt and social circles.

While every student wants to get the best education they possibly can, there are myriad considerations to take into account: location, size, diversity, areas of focus, study abroad opportunities—the list goes on. While best college lists are often topped with the same handful of expensive Ivy League schools, the U.S. is home to more than 4,000 degree-granting schools spread out across all 50 states and several territories, with amazing education offerings for students to consider.

Stacker compiled a list of the best four-year colleges in Kentucky using rankings from Niche. Tuition, student-to-faculty ratio, acceptance rate, and graduation rate are factors considered in deciding these rankings. Location is also often a key factor in a school’s appeal, whether it be a beachside location, one full of New England foliage, or proximity to tech hubs and companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google. Online and unspecified location schools were excluded from the rankings. Keep reading to see the best schools in your state.

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#25. Union College – Kentucky

– Acceptance rate: 57%
– Net price: $18,027
– Enrollment: 868 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C+
— Diversity grade: A
— Athletics grade: B
— Campus food grade: B

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#24. Alice Lloyd College

– Acceptance rate: 21%
– Net price: $15,196
– Enrollment: 565 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C+
— Dorms grade: B
— Campus food grade: B
— Academics grade: B-

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#23. Kentucky Christian University

– Acceptance rate: 28%
– Net price: $20,608
– Enrollment: 583 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C+
— Diversity grade: B+
— Academics grade: B
— Value grade: B-

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#22. Kentucky State University

– Acceptance rate: 84%
– Net price: $7,254
– Enrollment: 1,393 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C+
— Party grade: A
— Diversity grade: B+
— Athletics grade: B

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#21. Kentucky Wesleyan College

– Acceptance rate: 60%
– Net price: $19,348
– Enrollment: 815 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C+
— Athletics grade: A-
— Diversity grade: B+
— Academics grade: B-

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#20. University of Pikeville

– Acceptance rate: 100%
– Net price: $13,797
– Enrollment: 1,051 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: B+
— Athletics grade: B+
— Dorms grade: B

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#19. Eastern Kentucky University

– Acceptance rate: 98%
– Net price: $14,151
– Enrollment: 9,572 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Campus food grade: A-
— Athletics grade: B+
— Party grade: B+

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#18. Morehead State University

– Acceptance rate: 77%
– Net price: $12,498
– Enrollment: 5,299 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Athletics grade: B+
— Campus food grade: B+
— Safety grade: B+

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#17. Georgetown College

– Acceptance rate: 72%
– Net price: $18,056
– Enrollment: 1,067 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: B+
— Athletics grade: B+
— Value grade: B

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#16. Thomas More University

– Acceptance rate: 92%
– Net price: $20,868
– Enrollment: 1,323 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Safety grade: A
— Diversity grade: A-
— Location grade: A-

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#15. Western Kentucky University

– Acceptance rate: 98%
– Net price: $12,705
– Enrollment: 11,749 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Athletics grade: A
— Party grade: A
— Campus food grade: A

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#14. Midway University

– Acceptance rate: 73%
– Net price: $24,781
– Enrollment: 934 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Safety grade: A
— Diversity grade: A-
— Value grade: B

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#13. Brescia University

– Acceptance rate: 49%
– Net price: $14,464
– Enrollment: 711 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: A-
— Safety grade: B+
— Value grade: B

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#12. Campbellsville University

– Acceptance rate: 78%
– Net price: $19,321
– Enrollment: 2,495 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: A
— Safety grade: A
— Campus grade: A-

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#11. Asbury University

– Acceptance rate: 75%
– Net price: $23,086
– Enrollment: 1,240 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Dorms grade: A
— Safety grade: A
— Diversity grade: B+

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#10. Northern Kentucky University

– Acceptance rate: 87%
– Net price: $9,664
– Enrollment: 8,024 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Athletics grade: A
— Diversity grade: A-
— Campus food grade: A-

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#9. University of the Cumberlands

– Acceptance rate: 81%
– Net price: $13,764
– Enrollment: 3,312 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Diversity grade: A+
— Safety grade: A+
— Campus food grade: A-

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#8. Spalding University

– Acceptance rate: 93%
– Net price: $23,003
– Enrollment: 578 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Location grade: A
— Value grade: A-
— Diversity grade: A-

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#7. Transylvania University

– Acceptance rate: 92%
– Net price: $26,054
– Enrollment: 964 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Value grade: A-
— Location grade: A-
— Academics grade: B

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#6. Murray State University

– Acceptance rate: 77%
– Net price: $11,628
– Enrollment: 6,149 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Diversity grade: A-
— Athletics grade: A-
— Party grade: B+

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#5. Bellarmine University

– Acceptance rate: 82%
– Net price: $24,425
– Enrollment: 2,407 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Location grade: A+
— Athletics grade: A
— Student life grade: A

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#4. Berea College

– Acceptance rate: 33%
– Net price: $4,938
– Enrollment: 1,423 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Diversity grade: A
— Academics grade: A-
— Value grade: B+

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#3. Centre College

– Acceptance rate: 72%
– Net price: $22,748
– Enrollment: 1,333 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B+
— Value grade: A-
— Diversity grade: A-
— Academics grade: B+

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#2. University of Kentucky

– Acceptance rate: 96%
– Net price: $19,831
– Enrollment: 20,239 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A-
— Athletics grade: A+
— Party grade: A+
— Dorms grade: A+

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#1. University of Louisville

– Acceptance rate: 65%
– Net price: $17,894
– Enrollment: 11,598 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A-
— Athletics grade: A+
— Party grade: A
— Location grade: A