Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in Kentucky by ROI

Every Associate Degree program in Kentucky ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Kentucky

168

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$144,323

Across all Kentucky programs

Average Annual Cost

$17,662

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Bluegrass Community and Technical College Grad rate: 36.2%	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies.	+$483,640	$68,202	$13,281	$10,250	Full ROI →
2	Owensboro Community and Technical College Grad rate: 48.0%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$480,527	$67,770	$12,483	$7,338	Full ROI →
3	Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Grad rate: 45.6%	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies.	+$462,604	$67,212	$13,502	$10,838	Full ROI →
4	Madisonville Community College Grad rate: 55.9%	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians.	+$430,949	$65,260	$13,413	$5,500	Full ROI →
5	Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Grad rate: 45.6%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$427,153	$65,177	$13,502	$6,950	Full ROI →
6	Thomas More University Grad rate: 42.4%	Business/Commerce, General.	+$364,956	$68,202	$46,342	$49,185	Full ROI →
7	Galen College of Nursing-Louisville Grad rate: 62.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$361,180	$62,412	N/A	$34,859	Full ROI →
8	Big Sandy Community and Technical College Grad rate: 32.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$359,175	$62,448	$13,046	$17,550	Full ROI →
9	Sullivan University Grad rate: 28.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$336,802	$65,125	$31,100	$47,035	Full ROI →
10	Galen College of Nursing-ARH Grad rate: 38.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$293,054	$62,412	$34,063	$34,859	Full ROI →
11	Gateway Community and Technical College Grad rate: 47.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$283,504	$59,138	$13,849	$23,376	Full ROI →
12	Somerset Community College Grad rate: 41.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$259,645	$57,298	$12,464	$15,842	Full ROI →
13	Kentucky State University Grad rate: 29.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$252,554	$56,730	$21,023	N/A	Full ROI →
14	Somerset Community College Grad rate: 41.5%	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies.	+$242,192	$55,356	$12,464	N/A	Full ROI →
15	Hopkinsville Community College Grad rate: 37.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$238,837	$56,533	$12,810	$19,409	Full ROI →
16	Ashland Community and Technical College Grad rate: 52.2%	Physical Science Technologies/Technicians.	+$235,687	$55,875	$13,571	$10,867	Full ROI →
17	University of Pikeville Grad rate: 37.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$225,779	$57,773	$33,271	$17,140	Full ROI →
18	Ashland Community and Technical College Grad rate: 52.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$224,077	$55,827	$13,571	$18,756	Full ROI →
19	Northern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.2%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$215,158	$54,705	$19,471	N/A	Full ROI →
20	Western Kentucky University Grad rate: 52.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$206,690	$56,104	$23,520	$21,000	Full ROI →
21	Jefferson Community and Technical College Grad rate: 32.7%	Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$176,784	$52,188	$13,488	N/A	Full ROI →
22	Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College Grad rate: 50.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$174,417	$53,345	$13,738	$18,523	Full ROI →
23	Morehead State University Grad rate: 47.5%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$174,235	$54,592	$22,758	$23,769	Full ROI →
24	Hazard Community and Technical College Grad rate: 45.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$170,243	$52,929	$12,187	$17,750	Full ROI →
25	Henderson Community College Grad rate: 38.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$160,801	$52,919	$13,433	$22,750	Full ROI →
26	Eastern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.5%	Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians.	+$156,590	$52,056	$22,265	N/A	Full ROI →
27	Jefferson Community and Technical College Grad rate: 32.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$152,348	$52,537	$13,488	$23,271	Full ROI →
28	Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College Grad rate: 38.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$149,823	$51,526	$12,431	$11,729	Full ROI →
29	Maysville Community and Technical College Grad rate: 50.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$143,470	$52,095	$13,015	$24,000	Full ROI →
30	Bluegrass Community and Technical College Grad rate: 36.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$142,198	$52,109	$13,281	$24,755	Full ROI →
31	Morehead State University Grad rate: 47.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$126,584	$52,630	$22,758	$30,000	Full ROI →
32	ATA College Grad rate: 35.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$126,502	$54,382	$31,263	$43,416	Full ROI →
33	Bluegrass Community and Technical College Grad rate: 36.2%	Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.	+$110,424	$49,732	$13,281	$13,077	Full ROI →
34	Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Grad rate: 45.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$109,281	$49,701	$13,502	$13,137	Full ROI →
35	Beckfield College-Florence Grad rate: 35.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$99,662	$52,746	$32,665	$36,983	Full ROI →
36	West Kentucky Community and Technical College Grad rate: 47.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$95,876	$49,017	$13,457	$13,000	Full ROI →
37	Campbellsville University Grad rate: 43.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$92,854	$52,594	$40,924	$27,539	Full ROI →
38	Eastern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$76,310	$49,662	$22,265	$24,000	Full ROI →
39	Madisonville Community College Grad rate: 55.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$55,085	$47,243	$13,413	$16,999	Full ROI →
40	Owensboro Community and Technical College Grad rate: 48.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$53,661	$46,851	$12,483	$13,624	Full ROI →
41	Somerset Community College Grad rate: 41.5%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$52,572	$45,875	$12,464	N/A	Full ROI →
42	Bluegrass Community and Technical College Grad rate: 36.2%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$51,626	$46,981	$13,281	$15,875	Full ROI →
43	Jefferson Community and Technical College Grad rate: 32.7%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$40,753	$46,514	$13,488	$16,704	Full ROI →
44	Bluegrass Community and Technical College Grad rate: 36.2%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$33,817	$45,922	$13,281	$13,378	Full ROI →
45	Western Kentucky University Grad rate: 52.5%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$31,760	$45,940	$23,520	N/A	Full ROI →
46	West Kentucky Community and Technical College Grad rate: 47.3%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$30,826	$44,887	$13,457	N/A	Full ROI →
47	West Kentucky Community and Technical College Grad rate: 47.3%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$27,426	$44,717	$13,457	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Big Sandy Community and Technical College Grad rate: 32.0%	Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.	+$13,508	$43,980	$13,046	N/A	Full ROI →
49	Midway University Grad rate: 44.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$9,487	$48,420	$41,400	$26,750	Full ROI →
50	Gateway Community and Technical College Grad rate: 47.5%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$2,554	$44,596	$13,849	$16,050	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.