Best colleges for Business Administration in Kentucky
Ranked by graduate earnings
Asbury University, Thomas More University and Sullivan University are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in Kentucky by graduate earnings. Asbury University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $67,117, College Scorecard. University of the Cumberlands, Western Kentucky University and Northern Kentucky University award the most Business Administration degrees in Kentucky: 736, 519 and 381 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 43 Kentucky colleges offer Business Administration and award 6,570 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asbury University Wilmore Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $67,117 | 56 | 65% | $19,816 | $16,125 |
| 2 | Thomas More University Crestview Hills Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $63,458 | 79 | 40% | $18,902 | $38,363 |
| 3 | Sullivan University Louisville Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $46,483 | 114 | 71% | $29,703 | $47,149 |
| 4 | Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,564 | 381 | 52% | — | $20,500 |
| 5 | Western Kentucky University Bowling Green Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,498 | 519 | 56% | — | $25,320 |
| 6 | Eastern Kentucky University Richmond Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,055 | 79 | 50% | — | $26,500 |
| 7 | Bellarmine University Louisville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,061 | 103 | 64% | $22,542 | $26,000 |
| 8 | Murray State University Murray Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,804 | 23 | 61% | — | $21,061 |
| 9 | University of Pikeville Pikeville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $36,213 | 100 | 42% | $13,886 | $25,000 |
| 10 | Lindsey Wilson University Columbia Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,986 | 105 | 44% | $14,471 | $26,551 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Owensboro Community and Technical College Owensboro Public · Certificate | $41,251 | 237 | 54% | — | $7,246 |
| 2 | Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Elizabethtown Public · Certificate | $40,956 | 517 | 59% | — | $11,560 |
| 3 | Gateway Community and Technical College Florence Public · Certificate | $39,306 | 233 | 59% | — | $13,000 |
| 4 | Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville Public · Certificate | $38,471 | 475 | 35% | — | $11,770 |
| 5 | Bluegrass Community and Technical College Lexington Public · Associate degree | $37,319 | 205 | 43% | — | $13,500 |
| 6 | Ashland Community and Technical College Ashland Public · Certificate | $35,588 | 92 | 51% | — | $20,584 |
| 7 | Somerset Community College Somerset Public · Certificate | $35,189 | 350 | 43% | — | $15,805 |
| 8 | Maysville Community and Technical College Maysville Public · Certificate | $33,107 | 208 | 56% | — | $20,089 |
| 9 | Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College Bowling Green Public · Certificate | $31,559 | 401 | 58% | — | $12,080 |
| 10 | West Kentucky Community and Technical College Paducah Public · Certificate | $28,653 | 280 | 50% | — | $12,445 |
Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in Kentucky
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg Private not-for-profit | 736 | Not reported |
| 2 | Western Kentucky University Bowling Green Public | 519 | $44,498 |
| 3 | Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights Public | 381 | $44,564 |
| 4 | Campbellsville University Campbellsville Private not-for-profit | 133 | Not reported |
| 5 | Midway University Midway Private not-for-profit | 115 | Not reported |
| 6 | Sullivan University Louisville Private for-profit | 114 | $46,483 |
| 7 | University of Louisville Louisville Public | 110 | Not reported |
| 8 | Lindsey Wilson University Columbia Private not-for-profit | 105 | $35,986 |
| 9 | Bellarmine University Louisville Private not-for-profit | 103 | $41,061 |
| 10 | Hopkinsville Community College Hopkinsville Public | 101 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 33 Kentucky colleges offering Business Administration
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in Kentucky
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in Kentucky.
Which Kentucky colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+
University of the Cumberlands (736 graduates a year), Western Kentucky University (519 graduates a year) and Northern Kentucky University (381 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in Kentucky, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 43 Kentucky colleges offer Business Administration.
What is the best college for Business Administration in Kentucky?+
By graduate earnings, Asbury University leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in Kentucky, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $67,117, College Scorecard. Thomas More University and Sullivan University follow. By degrees awarded, University of the Cumberlands is the largest, with 736 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business Administration program in Kentucky has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Asbury University tops the list at $67,117. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Kentucky?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Kentucky is $99,990 (median $79,370), across about 52,100 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
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.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card