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University of Kentucky

Public

Lexington, KY

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The University of Kentucky was established in 1865 as the state's land-grant flagship university. According to the university, it is one of only eight institutions in the country offering a full complement of liberal arts, engineering, professional, agricultural, and medical colleges on a single contiguous campus. UK comprises 16 degree-granting colleges along with the Lewis Honors College and Graduate School.

Admissions

Admit rate93%
SAT range1070–1290
ACT range21–28
Undergrads24,763
Yield (admits who enroll)29%
Next deadlineDec 1, 2026 (EA)

Cost & outcomes

Cost of attendance$34,391
4-year grad rate71%
Median earnings, 10yr out$59,025

From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field.

Where do you stand against University of Kentucky's numbers?

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How University of Kentucky weighs your application

From University of Kentucky's own Common Data Set, 2024-25, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?

Academic factors
Rigor of secondary school recordVery important
Class rankConsidered
Academic GPAVery important
Standardized test scoresConsidered
Application essayVery important
RecommendationsConsidered
Nonacademic factors
InterviewConsidered
Extracurricular activitiesConsidered
Talent/abilityConsidered
Character/personal qualitiesConsidered
First generationConsidered
Alumni relation (legacy)Not considered
Geographical residenceConsidered
State residencyConsidered
Religious affiliationNot considered
Volunteer workConsidered
Work experienceConsidered
Level of interest (demonstrated interest)Not considered
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See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what University of Kentucky weighs in your application

Paying it back

Undergrads taking federal loans34%
Loan balance still growing, 3yrs out63%

"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.

Majors & earnings

Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
Agricultural Business and Management$65,847/yr
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other$60,375/yr
Animal Sciences$53,918/yr
Agricultural Production Operations$46,843/yr
Agricultural Public Services$42,612/yr
Architecture and Related Services
Landscape Architecture$64,143/yr
Architecture$62,383/yr
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biology, General$52,163/yr
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Accounting and Related Services$85,777/yr
Finance and Financial Management Services$84,087/yr
Business/Managerial Economics$74,202/yr
Marketing$70,776/yr
Business/Commerce, General$69,451/yr
Hospitality Administration/Management$52,477/yr
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication$62,754/yr
Communication and Media Studies$55,653/yr
Journalism$52,785/yr
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication$44,333/yr
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Computer and Information Sciences, General$99,535/yr
Information Science/Studies$65,407/yr
Education
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$51,379/yr
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$44,352/yr
Engineering
Computer Engineering$99,945/yr
Chemical Engineering$98,003/yr
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$96,913/yr
Mechanical Engineering$90,654/yr
Materials Engineering$84,796/yr
Civil Engineering$81,031/yr
Agricultural Engineering$68,605/yr
English Language and Literature/Letters
English Language and Literature, General$44,384/yr
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies$38,822/yr
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
Apparel and Textiles$66,255/yr
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services$55,633/yr
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General$47,296/yr
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics$56,234/yr
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services$45,148/yr
Health Professions and Related Programs
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General$82,533/yr
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$81,941/yr
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions$77,663/yr
Health and Medical Administrative Services$70,942/yr
Public Health$59,163/yr
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services$52,815/yr
History
History$46,111/yr
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$36,942/yr
Mathematics and Statistics
Mathematics$75,222/yr
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General$55,937/yr
International/Globalization Studies$47,698/yr
Natural Resources and Conservation
Forestry$51,331/yr
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$50,204/yr
Physical Sciences
Chemistry$73,549/yr
Psychology
Psychology, General$46,570/yr
Public Administration and Social Service Professions
Social Work$51,313/yr
Social Sciences
Economics$68,532/yr
Political Science and Government$57,514/yr
Sociology$56,266/yr
Visual and Performing Arts
Design and Applied Arts$62,966/yr
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management$49,167/yr
Fine and Studio Arts$41,406/yr
Visual and Performing Arts, General$40,538/yr
Music$39,746/yr
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$38,475/yr

Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.

Campus life

On-campus housingYes
Required to live on campusNo
Dormitory capacity8,336
Typical room charge$9,964
Typical board charge$4,712

Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.

What matters in your application

GPARequired
Class rankNot considered
RecommendationsNot considered

From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.

Frequently asked questions

What does University of Kentucky look for in applicants?

Per University of Kentucky's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, application essay as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.

What is University of Kentucky's acceptance rate?

University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY admits approximately 93% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.

What SAT score do I need for University of Kentucky?

Admitted students at University of Kentucky typically score between 1070–1290 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile).

What ACT score do I need for University of Kentucky?

Admitted students at University of Kentucky typically score between 21–28 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile).

How much does University of Kentucky cost?

University of Kentucky's total cost of attendance is reported at $34,391 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.

When is the application deadline for University of Kentucky?

University of Kentucky's earliest deadline is Dec 1, 2026 (EA), per its own published admissions calendar.

Does University of Kentucky require students to live on campus?

No -- University of Kentucky doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.

Comparing University of Kentucky against another school?

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