Top 50 Best Master's Degree Programs in Kentucky by ROI

Every Master's 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

136

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$355,844

Across all Kentucky programs

Average Annual Cost

$29,642

Cost of attendance

# College Major 20-Yr Net ROI Median Salary Annual Cost Avg Debt
1 University of Pikeville

Grad rate: 37.1%

 Medicine. +$3,576,358 $224,145 $33,271 N/A Full ROI →
2 University of Louisville

Grad rate: 61.4%

 Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences. +$2,887,874 $189,478 $30,843 N/A Full ROI →
3 Murray State University

Grad rate: 59.0%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$2,692,650 $178,780 $21,475 N/A Full ROI →
4 University of Louisville

Grad rate: 61.4%

 Dentistry. +$1,820,194 $136,094 $30,843 N/A Full ROI →
5 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Dentistry. +$1,787,518 $134,605 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
6 Sullivan University

Grad rate: 28.8%

 Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. +$1,602,400 $125,230 $31,100 N/A Full ROI →
7 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. +$1,543,858 $122,422 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
8 Sullivan University

Grad rate: 28.8%

 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. +$1,316,140 $110,917 $31,100 N/A Full ROI →
9 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$1,135,798 $102,019 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
10 Frontier Nursing University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$1,113,660 $97,683 N/A N/A Full ROI →
11 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. +$1,063,398 $98,399 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
12 Northern Kentucky University

Grad rate: 49.2%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$1,029,058 $95,400 $19,471 N/A Full ROI →
13 Eastern Kentucky University

Grad rate: 49.5%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$1,025,850 $95,519 $22,265 N/A Full ROI →
14 Western Kentucky University

Grad rate: 52.5%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$1,021,580 $95,431 $23,520 N/A Full ROI →
15 University of Louisville

Grad rate: 61.4%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$975,334 $93,851 $30,843 N/A Full ROI →
16 Northern Kentucky University

Grad rate: 49.2%

 Human Resources Management and Services. +$953,058 $91,600 $19,471 N/A Full ROI →
17 Spalding University

Grad rate: 51.3%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$926,172 $92,656 $43,474 N/A Full ROI →
18 Murray State University

Grad rate: 59.0%

 Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians. +$892,190 $88,757 $21,475 N/A Full ROI →
19 Bellarmine University

Grad rate: 63.9%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$873,986 $91,724 $60,247 N/A Full ROI →
20 University of Louisville

Grad rate: 61.4%

 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. +$870,134 $88,591 $30,843 N/A Full ROI →
21 University of Louisville

Grad rate: 61.4%

 Mechanical Engineering. +$832,934 $86,731 $30,843 N/A Full ROI →
22 University of Louisville

Grad rate: 61.4%

 Computer Engineering. +$822,254 $86,197 $30,843 N/A Full ROI →
23 University of Louisville

Grad rate: 61.4%

 Engineering-Related Fields. +$734,714 $81,820 $30,843 N/A Full ROI →
24 Northern Kentucky University

Grad rate: 49.2%

 Business/Commerce, General. +$716,418 $79,768 $19,471 N/A Full ROI →
25 University of Louisville

Grad rate: 61.4%

 Business/Commerce, General. +$706,734 $80,421 $30,843 N/A Full ROI →
26 University of Louisville

Grad rate: 61.4%

 Industrial Engineering. +$668,694 $78,519 $30,843 N/A Full ROI →
27 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Business/Commerce, General. +$661,058 $78,282 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
28 Thomas More University

Grad rate: 42.4%

 Business Administration, Management and Operations. +$659,976 $79,633 $46,342 N/A Full ROI →
29 Eastern Kentucky University

Grad rate: 49.5%

 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other. +$609,310 $74,692 $22,265 N/A Full ROI →
30 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. +$585,158 $74,487 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
31 Sullivan University

Grad rate: 28.8%

 Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management. +$560,880 $73,154 $31,100 N/A Full ROI →
32 Bellarmine University

Grad rate: 63.9%

 Business/Commerce, General. +$558,606 $75,955 $60,247 N/A Full ROI →
33 Sullivan University

Grad rate: 28.8%

 Computer and Information Sciences, General. +$544,340 $72,327 $31,100 N/A Full ROI →
34 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 International Relations and National Security Studies. +$536,578 $72,058 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
35 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Accounting and Related Services. +$509,698 $70,714 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
36 Morehead State University

Grad rate: 47.5%

 Business/Commerce, General. +$473,164 $67,934 $22,758 N/A Full ROI →
37 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Health and Medical Administrative Services. +$471,718 $68,815 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
38 Western Kentucky University

Grad rate: 52.5%

 Health and Medical Administrative Services. +$469,820 $67,843 $23,520 N/A Full ROI →
39 University of the Cumberlands

Grad rate: 45.3%

 Business Administration, Management and Operations. +$465,072 $67,719 $24,654 N/A Full ROI →
40 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Law. +$464,398 $68,449 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
41 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Public Health. +$447,658 $67,612 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
42 Northern Kentucky University

Grad rate: 49.2%

 Accounting and Related Services. +$440,858 $65,990 $19,471 N/A Full ROI →
43 Murray State University

Grad rate: 59.0%

 Business/Commerce, General. +$425,250 $65,410 $21,475 N/A Full ROI →
44 Western Kentucky University

Grad rate: 52.5%

 Business Administration, Management and Operations. +$424,020 $65,553 $23,520 N/A Full ROI →
45 Spalding University

Grad rate: 51.3%

 Business/Commerce, General. +$397,212 $66,208 $43,474 N/A Full ROI →
46 University of Louisville

Grad rate: 61.4%

 Medicine. +$388,954 $64,532 $30,843 N/A Full ROI →
47 University of Kentucky

Grad rate: 69.3%

 Medicine. +$384,958 $64,477 $32,291 N/A Full ROI →
48 Asbury University

Grad rate: 67.5%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$382,982 $65,770 $46,209 N/A Full ROI →
49 Eastern Kentucky University

Grad rate: 49.5%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$374,690 $62,961 $22,265 N/A Full ROI →
50 Northern Kentucky University

Grad rate: 49.2%

 Law. +$359,138 $61,904 $19,471 N/A 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.