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Tennessee Louisville Alabama UL Lafayette IU UC Florida State Auburn Tulane LA Tech- Louisiana Tech- Tech UH Texas A&M| University of Kentucky | Louisiana State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Kentucky | LSU | ||
| Location | Lexington, KY | Baton Rouge, LA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 32,703 | 39,418 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #421 | #287 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uky.edu | lsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Kentucky | LSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,849 | $8,038 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $32,043 | $8,038 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,242 | $14,296 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,838 | $21,808 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $13,024 | $13,509 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 88% |
Admission |
Kentucky | LSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 28,233 | 42,558 | ||
| Admitted | 26,083 | 31,491 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 92.4% | 74% | ||
| Enrolled % | 24.7% | 23.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.59 | 3.77 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 24/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1080/1290 | 1150/1330 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jul 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Kentucky | LSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 20:1 | ||
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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 | 9% | 7% | ||
| % Women | 17% | 11% | ||
| 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 | 58% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 37% | ||
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 (39,418 students vs. 32,703 students)
Kentucky vs. LSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or LSU?
- University of Kentucky is 47.4% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($11,849.00 vs. $8,038.00)
- Out of state tuition is 298.6% higher at Kentucky than Louisiana State University ($32,043.00 vs. $8,038.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than LSU ($19,838 vs. $21,808)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University are 6.6% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($14,296 vs. $15,242)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than Louisiana State University (96% vs. 88%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 3.7% larger than aid received University of Kentucky ($13,509 vs. $13,024)
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 (92.4%) than LSU (74%)
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/