R1 ResearchPublicLand-grantMedical

University of Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky·Public, 4-year or above·Southeast·uky.edu
6-yr Graduation
71%
-1.5pp vs R1 Research
Total enrollment
34,709
peer median 33,878
Avg net price
$18,851
+$321 vs R1 Research
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AdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data Set

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
31,517
31,517 candidates competed
Admitted
29,293
92.9% acceptance rate
Enrolled
6,513
22.2% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
71%-1.5pp vs R1 Research
4-year graduation
55%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
71%
Full-time retention
87%

Pell equity

19.1pp gap
Pell recipients
57%695 of 1221
Non-Pell (all)
76%2858 of 3754
Subsidized loan, no Pell
72%621 of 867
No Federal Aid
77%2237 of 2887

Non-Pell students graduate at a 19.1-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 365 Title IV programs, 92 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 273 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
365
Passing
92
25.2% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

365programs
  • Passing92 · 25.2%
  • No Data273 · 74.8%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
2
Watch
10
Safe
80
No data
273

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

92
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+5.5%
$53,218 vs $50,451
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Bachelor Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
+8.5%
$36,942 vs $34,058
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+11.8%
$56,399 vs $50,451
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Master's Degree · Education
+12.1%
$46,228 vs $41,236
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+13.0%
$38,475 vs $34,058
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+14.0%
$38,822 vs $34,058
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Master's Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
+15.5%
$57,644 vs $49,914
Music
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+16.7%
$39,746 vs $34,058

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

81
Medicine
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
183%
$210,626 debt · $115,241 earn
Dentistry
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
128%
$238,266 debt · $185,878 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
103%
$83,167 debt · $80,534 earn
Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Sciences and Administration
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
102%
$138,500 debt · $135,755 earn
Music
Doctoral Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
98%
$49,053 debt · $49,845 earn
Law
First Professional Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
94%
$81,274 debt · $86,420 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
73%
$41,000 debt · $56,399 earn
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
67%
$35,831 debt · $53,218 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Accredited since 1915Next review Jun 2029

Programmatic accreditations · 37

Action history · 72

  1. Dec 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Council on Education for Public Health · Public Health (PHBG) - Baccalaureate and Graduate level school of public health
  2. Nov 2025Grant Substantive Change: Program
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  3. Oct 2025Grant Substantive Change: Other
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  4. Aug 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Endodontics
  5. Aug 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS)

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$12,182
$30–48k$12,119
$48–75k$16,313
$75–110k$21,192
$110k+$26,781

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$18,851
+$321vs R1 Research median $18,530
Federal loans
33.7%
In-state tuition
$13,502
Out-of-state
$34,140

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 6,580 students received $38.7M in Pell grants, alongside $241.5M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
6,580
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$38.7M
$38,711,380 total
Direct Loans
$241.5M
21,200 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

5k
’20
5k
’21
5k
’22
6k
’23
7k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$24.1M
5,889 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$29.7M
7,455 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$99.1M
4,431 loan awards
Parent PLUS$51.3M
1,943 loan awards
Grad PLUS$37.4M
1,482 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 5,109 borrowers who entered repayment, 86 (1.6%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
1.6%
-0.7pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
5,109
Defaulted
86
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
5.9%
2017
5.8%
2018
4.3%
2019
1.6%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at University of Kentucky

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs287
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

6,910 total completions
01Business
1,60823.3%
02Health Professions
1,46021.1%
03Public Admin
1,13616.4%
04Education
5167.5%
05Engineering
5017.3%
06Communication
4596.6%
07Psychology
3865.6%
08Biological Sciences
3545.1%
09Social Sciences
2653.8%
10Visual/Performing Arts
2253.3%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
34,709
12-mo unduplicated
37,367
Undergraduate
26,691
Graduate
10,676

Gender split

Men
39%14,672
Women
61%22,695

Race / ethnicity composition

White
76.2%
Hispanic
6.8%
Black
6.3%
Two or more
4.5%
Asian
3.7%
Non-resident
1.3%
Unknown
1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
614
315 M · 299 W
Women athletes
48.7%
Athletic aid
$17.2M
Total student aid
Budget
$186.6M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$9.6M
$7.4M
Recruiting expense
$3.0M
$1.0M
Head-coach salaries
$2.1M
$362K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 12

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
85 M · 109 W
$7.4M
Football
122 M · —
$43.3M
Soccer
27 M · 56 W
$4.9M
Swimming and Diving (combined)
44 M · 37 W
$4.4M
Other Sports
— · 64 W
$1.7M
Baseball
42 M · —
$5.2M

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
7.34
240 offenses · 32,703 students

3-year trend

5.822 yrs ago5.551 yr ago7.34Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
592
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
163
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
7
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
19

Criminal offenses by type

Motor vehicle theft
72
Burglary
46
Rape
42
Aggravated assault
36
Fondling
34
Robbery
7
Arson
3

By location

240total
  • On campus228
  • Non-campus11
  • Public property1

Includes 55 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

22
Domestic violence
32
Dating violence
20
Stalking
74 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

  • National origin1

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons40
Drugs7244
Liquor15553

Residence-hall fires

  • Delta Sigma Phi1 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Smith Hall1 fire
    Machinery/IndustrialDamage $100-$999
  • Roselle Hall1 fire
    Machinery/IndustrialDamage $100-$999
  • Wildcat Coal Lodge1 fire
    OtherDamage $100-$999
  • Chellgren Hall2 fires
    A small fire was started inside of a resident room by a student who intentionally set three rolls of paper towels on fire and then attempted to disable the fire alarm detection devices for the room. Room residents stopped the individual and extinguished the fire with water.Damage $0-$99
  • Chellgren Hall2 fires
    A student intentionally set three paper towel rolls on fire inside of the room. Another student placed them into the sink and extinguished them with water.Damage $0-$99
  • Greg Page Apt. #21 fire
    ElectricalDamage $100-$999
  • Greg Page Apt. #101 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Greg Page Apt. #171 fire
    Smoking materialsDamage $0-$99
  • Greg Page Apt. #211 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Holmes Hall1 fire
    ElectricalDamage $100-$999
  • University Flats1 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Herman Lee Donovan Hall1 fire
    Machinery/IndustrialDamage $0-$99

Data quality: 46 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
18.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
1,775

University of Kentucky vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions University of Kentucky selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectUniversity of Kentucky
71%—34,709$18,851R1 Research
University of Louisville
61%79.4%23,065$17,988R1 Research
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
91%15.3%32,438$11,655R1 Research
University of Arkansas
71%74.3%33,610$18,209R1 Research
Auburn University
82%45.9%34,145$24,323R1 Research
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
74%41.6%38,728$18,976R1 Research
Peer group median73%45.9%33,878$18,530

Institutions like University of Kentucky

Explore the federal data for institutions in University of Kentucky's comparison group.

IPEDS

University of Kentucky Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Institutional Research, Analytics and Decision Support
Address
Lexington, Kentucky 40506

Institutional Research, Analytics & Decision Support will provide reliable, accurate and defensible information for University Students, Faculty, Staff and Administrators in order to meet regulatory reporting requirements, provide data to external organizations and supply Colleges and Departments the necessary information to effectively conduct institutional business.

Visit IR office page
Team
2 members
  • Ania Peczalska
    Director of Institutional Effectiveness
  • Craig Rudick
    Executive Director of Institutional Research and Lead Data Scientist

Common Data Set

University of Kentucky's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
93.0%
Accessible
Yield
22.2%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
34,709
25,534 UG · 9,175 grad
6-yr graduation rate
71%
First-year retention
87%
Student–faculty ratio
17.7 to 1
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
31,517
Admitted
29,293
Enrolled
6,513

31,517 applied → 29,293 admitted (93.0%) → 6,513 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
93.0%

Accessible — 93.0% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
Men91.3%
Women94.1%
Another Gender91.8%
Unknown92.2%

Admit rates are similar across genders (Men 91.3%, Women 94.1%).

SAT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
1070
Median
1170
75th
1270

Middle 50% SAT 1070–1270 (median 1170).

ACT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
21
Median
25
75th
28

Middle 50% ACT 21–28 (median 25).

High-school class rank

C10
Top 10%28.7%
Top 25%55.6%
Top 50%84.6%
Bottom 50%15.4%
Bottom 25%2.5%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

What matters in admission

C7
Not Considered18
Rigor of secondary school recordClass rankAcademic GPAStandardized test scoresApplication EssayRecommendation(s)InterviewExtracurricular activitiesTalent/abilityCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceState residencyReligious affiliation/commitmentVolunteer workWork experienceLevel of applicant’s interest

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Institutional41.0%
Student loans24.3%
State all states11.8%
Parent Loans11.8%
Federal8.2%
External2.6%
Federal Work-Study0.3%

41% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
48%
Avg debt
$39,755

48% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $39,755 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
71%
Retention
87%

6-year graduation rate 71%; first-year retention 87%.

Equity: Pell graduation gap

B4
All students71%
Pell recipients57%

Pell-grant recipients graduate 14 pts below the overall rate (57% vs 71%).

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students303
10-19 students696
20-29 students922
30-39 students355
40-49 students139
50-99 students242
100+ students180

35% of classes have under 20 students; 15% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
17.7 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
80%
Women faculty
52%

Key faculty indicators.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
White, non-Hispanic76.1%
Hispanic/Latino6.8%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic6.3%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic4.5%
Asian, non-Hispanic3.6%
Nonresidents1.4%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic0.2%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic0.1%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
358
Share
1%

1% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Undergraduate
25,53474%
Graduate
9,17526%

25,534 undergraduates and 9,175 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
2,198
Admitted
1,866
Enrolled
1,056

2,198 transfer applicants → 1,866 admitted (84.9%) → 1,056 enrolled — more selective than first-year admission.

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about University of Kentucky

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about University of Kentucky.

What is the graduation rate at University of Kentucky?

University of Kentucky reports a 6-year graduation rate of 71% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend University of Kentucky?

University of Kentucky reports a total enrollment of 34,709 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at University of Kentucky?

The average net price at University of Kentucky is $18,851 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at University of Kentucky?

University of Kentucky's yield rate is 22.2%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is University of Kentucky located?

University of Kentucky is located in Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0032.

Who runs Institutional Research at University of Kentucky?

University of Kentucky's IR work is done by the Institutional Research, Analytics and Decision Support.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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