Kentucky vs. LSU

Should I go to University of Kentucky or Louisiana State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Kentucky or LSU 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 Kentucky vs. Louisiana State University comparison
University of Kentucky Louisiana State University College 3 College 4
University of Kentucky Louisiana State University
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Overview

Kentucky LSU
Location Lexington, KY Baton Rouge, LA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 31,547 37,348
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #367
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu lsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kentucky LSU
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $8,038
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $8,038
Room & Board $14,676 $13,956
Avg Net Price $18,693 $21,296
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $12,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 98%

Admission

Kentucky LSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 38,853
Admitted 20,979 29,419
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 75.7%
Enrolled % 28.9% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.77
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 23/28
SAT Range 1070/1290 1140/1320
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 Feb 15, 2024 Jul 15, 2024

Academics

Kentucky LSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Kentucky LSU
Graduation Rate 59% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $20,900
Median Loan Payment $235 $216

Diversity

Kentucky LSU
% Men 40% 44%
% Women 60% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 73%
% Black 8% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Kentucky LSU
% In-State 61% 65%
% Out-of-State 37% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Louisiana State University is larger than than Kentucky based on total student enrollment (37,348 students vs. 31,547 students)

Kentucky vs. LSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or LSU?

  • University of Kentucky is 43% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 284.6% higher at Kentucky than Louisiana State University ($30,913.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than LSU ($18,693 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University are 5.2% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($13,956 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than University of Kentucky (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 14.1% larger than aid received Louisiana State University ($14,114 vs. $12,374)

Kentucky vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Louisiana State University (1163) is 20 points higher than at Kentucky (1143)
  • Incoming LSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Kentucky (25)
  • Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than LSU (75.7%)

Kentucky vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky or LSU? 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 LSU and Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at LSU is higher than University of Kentucky (60% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $5,900 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $51,000)
  • Louisiana State University students graduate with a $1,850 lower median federal student loan debt than Kentucky graduates. ($20,900 vs. $22,750)
  • LSU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Kentucky graduates. ($216 vs. $235)
  • More LSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 62%)

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