Kentucky vs. UVA

Should I go to University of Kentucky or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Kentucky or UVA 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. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
University of Kentucky University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of Kentucky University of Virginia Main Campus
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Overview

 Kentucky UVA
Location Lexington, KY Charlottesville, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 31,547 26,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Kentucky UVA
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $51,870
Room & Board $14,676 $12,890
Avg Net Price $18,693 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 34%

Admission

 Kentucky UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 50,926
Admitted 20,979 9,503
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 18.7%
Enrolled % 28.9% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.85
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Elite
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 21/28 32/34
SAT Range 1070/1290 1400/1540
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

Academics

 Kentucky UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Kentucky UVA
Graduation Rate 59% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $235 $201

Diversity

 Kentucky UVA
% Men 40% 45%
% Women 60% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 60%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

 Kentucky UVA
% In-State 61% 62%
% Out-of-State 37% 33%

Campus

 Kentucky UVA
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

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than UVA based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 26,082 students)

Kentucky vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 47.7% more expensive to attend than Kentucky for in-state tuition ($16,980.00 vs. $11,496.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.8% higher at UVA than University of Kentucky ($51,870.00 vs. $30,913.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than UVA ($18,693 vs. $19,469)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 13.9% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($12,890 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than University of Virginia Main Campus (94% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 90% larger than aid received University of Kentucky ($26,818 vs. $14,114)

Kentucky vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 221 points higher than at Kentucky (1143)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Kentucky (25)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than UVA (18.7%)

Kentucky vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than University of Kentucky (94% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $26,200 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $51,000)
  • University of Virginia Main Campus students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Kentucky graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,750)
  • UVA graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Kentucky graduates. ($201 vs. $235)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 62%)

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