Highest ROI College Degrees in Kentucky

Top 20 college + major combinations in Kentucky ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost
1	University of Pikeville Grad rate: 37.1%	Medicine.	+$3,576,358	$224,145	$33,271	Full ROI →
2	University of Louisville Grad rate: 61.4%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$2,887,874	$189,478	$30,843	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	Full ROI →
4	University of Louisville Grad rate: 61.4%	Dentistry.	+$1,820,194	$136,094	$30,843	Full ROI →
5	University of Kentucky Grad rate: 69.3%	Dentistry.	+$1,787,518	$134,605	$32,291	Full ROI →
6	Sullivan University Grad rate: 28.8%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,602,400	$125,230	$31,100	Full ROI →
7	University of Kentucky Grad rate: 69.3%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,543,858	$122,422	$32,291	Full ROI →
8	Eastern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,341,580	$113,532	$22,265	Full ROI →
9	Sullivan University Grad rate: 28.8%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$1,316,140	$110,917	$31,100	Full ROI →
10	Frontier Nursing University	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,269,760	$105,488	N/A	Full ROI →
11	University of Kentucky Grad rate: 69.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,268,056	$111,861	$32,291	Full ROI →
12	University of Kentucky Grad rate: 69.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,135,798	$102,019	$32,291	Full ROI →
13	Frontier Nursing University	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,113,660	$97,683	N/A	Full ROI →
14	University of Kentucky Grad rate: 69.3%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$1,063,398	$98,399	$32,291	Full ROI →
15	Northern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.2%	Educational Administration and Supervision.	+$1,052,056	$98,497	$19,471	Full ROI →
16	Northern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,029,058	$95,400	$19,471	Full ROI →
17	Eastern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,025,850	$95,519	$22,265	Full ROI →
18	Western Kentucky University Grad rate: 52.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,021,580	$95,431	$23,520	Full ROI →
19	University of Louisville Grad rate: 61.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$975,334	$93,851	$30,843	Full ROI →
20	Northern Kentucky University Grad rate: 49.2%	Human Resources Management and Services.	+$953,058	$91,600	$19,471	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.