Kentucky Tuition & Cost
- 6/10 Overall Rating
- 4 Year
- Lexington, KY
-
4.5 2 reviews
How Much Does It Cost to Attend?
In State Kentucky Resident Sticker Price
$37,951Out of State Resident Sticker Price
$58,589Breakdown
- Tuition $13,502
- Books and Supplies $1,200
- Other Fees $1,393
- Room and Board $16,016
- Budget for Other Expenses $5,840
- Total One Year Cost $37,951
- Tuition $34,140
- Books and Supplies $1,200
- Other Fees $1,393
- Room and Board $16,016
- Budget for Other Expenses $5,840
- Total One Year Cost $58,589
In-State Tuition
In-state tuition at University of Kentucky for undergraduate students residing in Kentucky is $13,502. Room and board charges total $16,016 per year. Students will also need to budget for books and supplies, which typically amount to $1,200 annually. Other administrative or academic fees are $1,393 for the year. Additionally, students should plan an estimated $5,840 for other miscellaneous expenses throughout the year. In sum, residents attending University of Kentucky full time should expect a total annual cost of $37,951.
Out-of-State Tuition
Undergraduate tuition at University of Kentucky is $34,140 for out-of-state students. Additionally, out-of-state students are charged $16,016 for room and board, $1,200 for textbooks and educational resources, plus fees of $1,393. Students are advised to budget $5,840 for other expenses. When these costs are combined, annual out-of-state charges total $58,589. This figure is 54.4% higher than what Kentucky residents pay.
Housing Costs
On campus room and board is provided by the school at a cost of $16,016 per academic year. Students electing to live off campus elsewhere in Lexington should budget at least this amount.
Books and Supplies
The estimated annual cost for books and educational supplies is $1,200.
Other Living Expenses
If living on-campus, students should budget for $5,840 in additional living expenses. Off-campus students should budget for $5,944 in other miscellaneous living expenses.
All price data is sourced from the IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025.
Net Price
The average reported annual net price for University of Kentucky for students receiving grants or scholarship aid was $21,958* in 2023/2024. Net price includes tuition and required fees, books and supplies, and average cost for room and board and other expenses.
Average Net Price 2023/2024
$21,958Below is the average net price by student family income.
The net price provides a more realistic estimate of the true cost of attending University of Kentucky, once common grants and scholarships have been taken into account. It's important to note that your net price will fluctuate based on factors such as family income, assets and individual financial need. Net price is the out-of-pocket total cost that students end up paying or financing though student loans.
*Reported Average Annual Net Price for students receiving grant or scholarship aid reported to the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2023/2024. Financial aid is only available to those who qualify. Consult this school's net price calculator for further understanding of your potential net price.
Note that for colleges with no reported on-campus room and board, the average net price has been increased to account for living expenses. This number may not only reflect the net price paid to the school for tuition.
Financial Aid
95% of full-time undergrad University of Kentucky received financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, fellowships from the institution or from Federal, State or local government agencies. This aid averaged $12,898 per student during the 2023/2024 school year. Grant and scholarship aid does not need to be paid back.
Pell Grants
25 percent of students received aid in the form of Pell Grants from the U.S. Federal Government. The average Pell Grant awarded for 2023/2024 was $5,577. To apply for a Pell Grant to attend University of Kentucky, the first step is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Student Loans
38% of students received Federal Student Loans averaging $5,243 and 11% of undergrads took out private student loans averaging $22,092.
Data Source, IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2023/2024
Financial Aid Mix - $37,951 In-State Total Cost
CollegeSimply has modeled example payment coverage for the annual in-state tuition and living expenses of $37,951. Breakdown is based on average grant aid and federal loan aid which will vary based on your family income.
Grants and Scholarships
40% - $12,898
Money granted to you by the U.S. Department of Education, University of Kentucky or other organizations. These are not loans and do not need to be repaid.
Federal Student Loans
16% - $5,243
Low interest student loans funded by the U.S. Department of Education. This amount will need to be repaid.
Out of Pocket Cost
44% - $13,970
Covered by family savings, work or private student loans which you will have to repay.
Student Loans
To gauge a more realistic picture of what it really could cost you out of pocket to go to University of Kentucky, we've modeled a ten year student loan with an original principal value of $87,832. The loan balance of $87,832 is a four year multiple of the $21,958 average net price. This is a estimate of what you could owe upon graduation if you were to qualify for average financial aid and what a degree really may cost. Should you not qualify for financial aid, you may owe significantly more when you graduate. Based on these assumptions, a monthly repayment of $998 could be required to pay off your student loan. The total of all payments including interest would sum $119,785.03.
Please note that financial aid is not guaranteed and is only available for qualifying students. Federal Student Loans are not grants and must be repaid with interest. The current Stafford loan interest rate is 6.52%.
Student Loan Affordability
In order to afford student loan payments and still meet all your other costs of living, it is recommended not to borrow more than you can pay back using 10% of your monthly income earned after graduation. If you're considering attending University of Kentucky, should consider if it will be realistic to make the post graduation loan payments based on your expected salary.
Using the 10% of salary threshold, an annual income of $119,785.03 would be needed to afford a $998.21 monthly payment in the example $87,832.00 loan modeled above. This assumes a repayment over 10 years. You can change the terms of this example loan using the student loan calculator below. View statistics about University of Kentucky student loan debt and graduate salaries under student outcomes.
Projected 4 Year Degree Price
4 Year Sticker Price
$151,804Based on published tuition prices, we estimate the current cost of a 4 year bachelor's degree and living expenses at University of Kentucky to be $151,804 - assuming graduation in normal time. The estimation assumes a 4.5% annual increase over the next 4 years which has been the recent trend for this school.
Tuition Details
Credit Hour Cost and Price per Class
Estimated cost for a class at University of Kentucky based on published credit hour prices. Note that not all schools allow single class enrollment. These prices should be used for comparison purposes as to how much it may cost to take a class at University of Kentucky versus other colleges.
Tuition Payment Plans Available
Tuition History
Historical in-state and out-of-state tuition and price increases for University of Kentucky.
Is it Worth the Cost?
To make a comparative assessment if Kentucky is worth the price, measures of it's relative value for tuition dollar can be examined. We've calculated an academic national percentile rating of 57.57/100 for University of Kentucky. Considering an average net price paid of $21,958, this leads to an overall value ranking of 54/100. This places the school 425th on our national Best Value Colleges ranking as a provider of a very high value education compared to actual overall price paid.
Plan and Calculate Costs
College Savings Calculator
Plan and Save for College
Discover how much will you need to start saving now to afford University of Kentucky in the future.
Student Loan Calculator
Estimate Loan Payments
Modify the loan assumptions to fit your financial situation and likely tuition price. Then calculate your payoff and loan payments for a University of Kentucky student loan.
Costs for Similar Colleges
Explore costs at colleges similar to Kentucky
Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=157085.
Last updated: August 2026