KU vs. Kentucky

Should I go to University of Kansas or University of Kentucky? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if KU or Kentucky is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of Kansas vs. University of Kentucky comparison
University of Kansas University of Kentucky College 3 College 4
University of Kansas University of Kentucky
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Overview

 KU Kentucky
Location Lawrence, KS Lexington, KY
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 28,406 32,703
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #291 #421
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ku.edu uky.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 KU Kentucky
Tuition (In State) $10,596 $11,849
Tuition (Out of State) $28,308 $32,043
Room & Board $10,818 $15,242
Avg Net Price $18,322 $19,838
Avg Grant Aid $10,644 $13,024
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 96%

Admission

 KU Kentucky
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,226 28,233
Admitted 16,958 26,083
Acceptance Rate 88.2% 92.4%
Enrolled % 31% 24.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.59
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 21/28
SAT Range 1050/1290 1080/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 KU Kentucky
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

 KU Kentucky
Graduation Rate 61% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,600 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $22,750
Median Loan Payment $211 $235

Diversity

 KU Kentucky
% Men 11% 9%
% Women 16% 17%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 76%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 KU Kentucky
% In-State 55% 58%
% Out-of-State 43% 40%

Campus

 KU Kentucky
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than KU based on total student enrollment (32,703 students vs. 28,406 students)

KU vs. Kentucky Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KU or Kentucky?

  • University of Kentucky is 11.8% more expensive to attend than KU for in-state tuition ($11,849.00 vs. $10,596.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.2% higher at Kentucky than University of Kansas ($32,043.00 vs. $28,308.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than Kentucky ($18,322 vs. $19,838)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 40.9% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($10,818 vs. $15,242)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than University of Kansas (96% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 22.4% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($13,024 vs. $10,644)

KU vs. Kentucky Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, KU or Kentucky? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Kentucky or KU .

  • The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 2 points higher than at Kentucky (1143)
  • Incoming KU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Kentucky (25)
  • Accepted freshman KU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than KU (88.2%)

KU vs. Kentucky Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KU or Kentucky? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Kentucky and KU.

  • The graduation rate at KU is higher than University of Kentucky (61% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $3,600 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $51,000)
  • University of Kansas students graduate with a $2,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Kentucky graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,750)
  • KU graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Kentucky graduates. ($211 vs. $235)
  • More KU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/