Top 50 Best Certificate Programs in Kentucky by ROI

Every Certificate 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

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$327,281

Across all Kentucky programs

Average Annual Cost

$21,785

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Madisonville Community College Grad rate: 55.9%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$448,598	$66,237	$13,413	$16,836	Full ROI →
2	Western Kentucky University Grad rate: 52.5%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	+$159,820	$51,167	$23,520	N/A	Full ROI →
3	Jefferson Community and Technical College Grad rate: 32.7%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$120,779	$49,671	$13,488	$14,187	Full ROI →
4	Eastern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.5%	Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other.	+$120,315	$49,129	$22,265	N/A	Full ROI →
5	West Kentucky Community and Technical College Grad rate: 47.3%	Precision Metal Working.	+$60,845	$46,272	$13,457	$8,250	Full ROI →
6	Eastern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.5%	Geography and Cartography.	+$55,635	$45,895	$22,265	N/A	Full ROI →
7	Big Sandy Community and Technical College Grad rate: 32.0%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$48,164	$45,668	$13,046	$9,000	Full ROI →
8	Sullivan University Grad rate: 28.8%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$4,862	$44,651	$31,100	$12,635	Full ROI →
9	Galen College of Nursing-Louisville Grad rate: 62.5%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$3,306	$42,958	N/A	$16,642	Full ROI →
10	Henderson Community College Grad rate: 38.4%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$18,075	$42,469	$13,433	$10,387	Full ROI →
11	Beckfield College-Florence Grad rate: 35.6%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$44,602	$42,787	$32,665	$20,502	Full ROI →
12	Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Grad rate: 45.6%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$57,559	$40,354	$13,502	$8,250	Full ROI →
13	Jefferson Community and Technical College Grad rate: 32.7%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	-$69,501	$39,849	$13,488	$9,625	Full ROI →
14	West Kentucky Community and Technical College Grad rate: 47.3%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	-$110,577	$37,144	$13,457	N/A	Full ROI →
15	Interactive College of Technology-Newport Grad rate: 34.8%	Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR).	-$114,151	$38,082	$20,798	$11,106	Full ROI →
16	Bluegrass Community and Technical College Grad rate: 36.2%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$114,271	$37,693	$13,281	$11,000	Full ROI →
17	ATA College Grad rate: 35.1%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$118,849	$39,568	$31,263	$28,849	Full ROI →
18	Sullivan University Grad rate: 28.8%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$155,044	$37,555	$31,100	$25,959	Full ROI →
19	Ashland Community and Technical College Grad rate: 52.2%	Precision Metal Working.	-$182,196	$33,940	$13,571	$5,500	Full ROI →
20	Maysville Community and Technical College Grad rate: 50.2%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$187,193	$34,159	$13,015	$12,858	Full ROI →
21	Hazard Community and Technical College Grad rate: 45.6%	Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR).	-$199,747	$32,622	$12,187	N/A	Full ROI →
22	Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College Grad rate: 38.3%	Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR).	-$229,911	$31,126	$12,431	N/A	Full ROI →
23	Eastern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.5%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$234,685	$31,379	$22,265	N/A	Full ROI →
24	Eastern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.5%	Social Work.	-$250,125	$30,607	$22,265	N/A	Full ROI →
25	Maysville Community and Technical College Grad rate: 50.2%	Precision Metal Working.	-$275,872	$29,520	$13,015	$9,820	Full ROI →
26	Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College Grad rate: 50.9%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$288,904	$29,087	$13,738	$12,523	Full ROI →
27	Sullivan University Grad rate: 28.8%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$303,133	$29,408	$31,100	$14,958	Full ROI →
28	American National University-Pikeville Grad rate: 29.7%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$311,604	$27,495	$21,504	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College Grad rate: 38.3%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$314,415	$27,529	$12,431	$9,307	Full ROI →
30	Hazard Community and Technical College Grad rate: 45.6%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	-$318,207	$26,699	$12,187	N/A	Full ROI →
31	Sullivan University Grad rate: 28.8%	Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions.	-$350,640	$26,023	$31,100	N/A	Full ROI →
32	Sullivan University Grad rate: 28.8%	Culinary Arts and Related Services.	-$358,240	$25,643	$31,100	N/A	Full ROI →
33	MedQuest College Grad rate: 82.1%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	-$363,473	$25,622	$23,121	$9,476	Full ROI →
34	Beckfield College-Florence Grad rate: 35.6%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	-$364,445	$25,411	$32,665	N/A	Full ROI →
35	Ross College-Hopkinsville Grad rate: 58.0%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	-$367,391	$25,601	$26,586	$9,500	Full ROI →
36	Ross Medical Education Center-Erlanger Grad rate: 65.2%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	-$367,435	$25,601	$26,630	$9,500	Full ROI →
37	Bluegrass Community and Technical College Grad rate: 36.2%	Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services.	-$373,481	$23,990	$13,281	N/A	Full ROI →
38	Maysville Community and Technical College Grad rate: 50.2%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$377,295	$23,786	$13,015	N/A	Full ROI →
39	ATA College Grad rate: 35.1%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	-$380,378	$25,417	$31,263	$12,930	Full ROI →
40	Sullivan University Grad rate: 28.8%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	-$383,311	$25,809	$31,100	$21,031	Full ROI →
41	Ross Medical Education Center-Erlanger Grad rate: 65.2%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	-$386,115	$24,667	$26,630	$9,500	Full ROI →
42	Employment Solutions-College for Technical Education Grad rate: 44.1%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$400,836	$23,189	$24,616	N/A	Full ROI →
43	ATA College Grad rate: 35.1%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	-$401,458	$24,850	$31,263	$20,145	Full ROI →
44	Somerset Community College Grad rate: 41.5%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$402,364	$22,505	$12,464	N/A	Full ROI →
45	Ross College-Hopkinsville Grad rate: 58.0%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$406,511	$23,645	$26,586	$9,500	Full ROI →
46	Ross Medical Education Center-Erlanger Grad rate: 65.2%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$406,555	$23,645	$26,630	$9,500	Full ROI →
47	ATA College Grad rate: 35.1%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$409,187	$24,227	$31,263	$16,640	Full ROI →
48	Ross Medical Education Center-Bowling Green Grad rate: 65.5%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	-$409,717	$23,490	$26,692	$9,500	Full ROI →
49	Ross Medical Education Center-Owensboro Grad rate: 64.0%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	-$414,743	$23,184	$25,598	$9,500	Full ROI →
50	Employment Solutions-College for Technical Education Grad rate: 44.1%	Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection.	-$415,674	$23,224	$24,616	$11,510	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.