- Avg net price
- $2,955
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $2,426
- Median debt
- $10,125
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $26,147
- Enrollment
- 3,134
State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard
Cheapest Colleges in Kentucky
Private campuses outnumber public ones on this Kentucky list (55 vs 24); Hazard Community and Technical College still leads on average net price at $2,955.
- $2,955
- Cheapest net price
- $16,512
- Kentucky median
- 79
- Schools ranked
Hazard Community and Technical College has the lowest average net price in Kentucky among Scorecard reporters
According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Hazard Community and Technical College posts the lowest average net price in Kentucky at $2,955 among 79 ranked schools, with the state median 4% below the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Cheapest net price
- $2,955
- Kentucky median
- $16,512
- Schools ranked
- 79
- National median
- $17,124
Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage
The list in one line
Hazard Community and Technical College has the lowest average net price in Kentucky at $2,955/year, and the state's median net price is 4% below the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.
- $2,955
- cheapest ranked net price
- $16,512
- Kentucky median net price
- 24 public / 55 private
- schools in this ranking
- $13,917
- avg net price, <$30K income families
Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $13,917 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.
Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Berea College, where in-state published tuition of $51,658 falls to an average net price of $6,106 after aid, a $45,552 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked Kentucky schools.
Private campuses outnumber public ones here (55 vs 24). A low figure at a small religious or specialty school can reflect a narrow enrollment mix, check sector and enrollment beside the price.
The bar to make this top-25 list is $9,793. Here is where that cutoff sits among all 79 Scorecard-reporting Kentucky schools:
The bar to make Kentucky's top-25 cheapest list
Average net price after aid · 79 Scorecard-reporting schools
$9,793 Among the most affordable more affordable than 68% of 79 Kentucky colleges
Show national distribution
Each bar is a $3K-wide band; taller bars hold more Kentucky colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23
Kentucky's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price
- Avg net price
- $3,537
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $3,152
- Median debt
- $10,175
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $32,195
- Enrollment
- 5,825
- Avg net price
- $3,731
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $2,963
- Median debt
- $6,919
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $26,999
- Enrollment
- 3,371
- Avg net price
- $3,873
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $3,198
- Median debt
- $9,357
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $28,106
- Enrollment
- 2,618
- Avg net price
- $4,232
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $3,040
- Median debt
- $10,483
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $31,551
- Enrollment
- 1,944
- Avg net price
- $4,398
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $3,671
- Median debt
- $12,215
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $27,858
- Enrollment
- 6,155
- Avg net price
- $4,605
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $3,965
- Median debt
- $11,500
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $27,631
- Enrollment
- 4,434
- Avg net price
- $5,143
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $4,080
- Median debt
- $9,055
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $32,562
- Enrollment
- 6,420
- Avg net price
- $5,183
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $5,183
- Median debt
- -
- Median earnings, 6yr
- -
- Enrollment
- 45
- Avg net price
- $5,353
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $4,345
- Median debt
- $8,986
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $29,823
- Enrollment
- 5,274
- Avg net price
- $5,406
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $3,843
- Median debt
- $8,450
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $31,257
- Enrollment
- 3,569
- Avg net price
- $5,717
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $4,881
- Median debt
- $10,950
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $30,330
- Enrollment
- 2,552
- Avg net price
- $5,725
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $4,932
- Median debt
- $10,711
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $34,492
- Enrollment
- 5,320
- Avg net price
- $5,800
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $4,554
- Median debt
- $7,933
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $31,283
- Enrollment
- 4,875
- Avg net price
- $5,875
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $5,402
- Median debt
- $10,691
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $32,645
- Enrollment
- 2,211
- Avg net price
- $6,106
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $5,428
- Median debt
- $3,591
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $35,676
- Enrollment
- 1,527
- Avg net price
- $6,113
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $4,728
- Median debt
- $10,500
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $32,081
- Enrollment
- 12,965
- Avg net price
- $6,376
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $5,441
- Median debt
- $11,651
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $32,950
- Enrollment
- 13,429
- Avg net price
- $7,437
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $7,437
- Median debt
- -
- Median earnings, 6yr
- -
- Enrollment
- 40
- Avg net price
- $8,040
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $10,225
- Median debt
- $25,938
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $29,640
- Enrollment
- 2,020
- Avg net price
- $8,191
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $2,603
- Median debt
- $23,000
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $42,105
- Enrollment
- 15,347
- Avg net price
- $8,709
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $8,977
- Median debt
- $29,430
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $39,897
- Enrollment
- 690
- Avg net price
- $9,096
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $6,242
- Median debt
- $20,500
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $38,473
- Enrollment
- 10,020
- Avg net price
- $9,337
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $5,773
- Median debt
- -
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $21,778
- Enrollment
- 94
- Avg net price
- $9,793
- Net price (<$30K income)
- $7,150
- Median debt
- $22,250
- Median earnings, 6yr
- $37,131
- Enrollment
- 8,791
| # | College | Avg net price | Net price (<$30K income) | Median debt | Median earnings, 6yr | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hazard Community and Technical CollegeHazard, KY · Public | $2,95590% of the leader · rank #1 | $2,426 | $10,125 | $26,147 | 3,134 |
| 2 | Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeBowling Green, KY · Public | $3,53788% of the leader · rank #2 | $3,152 | $10,175 | $32,195 | 5,825 |
| 3 | Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical CollegeCumberland, KY · Public | $3,73187% of the leader · rank #3 | $2,963 | $6,919 | $26,999 | 3,371 |
| 4 | Big Sandy Community and Technical CollegePrestonsburg, KY · Public | $3,87387% of the leader · rank #4 | $3,198 | $9,357 | $28,106 | 2,618 |
| 5 | Henderson Community CollegeHenderson, KY · Public | $4,23286% of the leader · rank #5 | $3,040 | $10,483 | $31,551 | 1,944 |
| 6 | Somerset Community CollegeSomerset, KY · Public | $4,39885% of the leader · rank #6 | $3,671 | $12,215 | $27,858 | 6,155 |
| 7 | Maysville Community and Technical CollegeMaysville, KY · Public | $4,60584% of the leader · rank #7 | $3,965 | $11,500 | $27,631 | 4,434 |
| 8 | Elizabethtown Community and Technical CollegeElizabethtown, KY · Public | $5,14383% of the leader · rank #8 | $4,080 | $9,055 | $32,562 | 6,420 |
| 9 | South Eastern Beauty AcademyPaintsville, KY · Private for-profit | $5,18382% of the leader · rank #9 | $5,183 | - | - | 45 |
| 10 | West Kentucky Community and Technical CollegePaducah, KY · Public | $5,35382% of the leader · rank #10 | $4,345 | $8,986 | $29,823 | 5,274 |
| 11 | Madisonville Community CollegeMadisonville, KY · Public | $5,40682% of the leader · rank #11 | $3,843 | $8,450 | $31,257 | 3,569 |
| 12 | Ashland Community and Technical CollegeAshland, KY · Public | $5,71781% of the leader · rank #12 | $4,881 | $10,950 | $30,330 | 2,552 |
| 13 | Gateway Community and Technical CollegeFlorence, KY · Public | $5,72581% of the leader · rank #13 | $4,932 | $10,711 | $34,492 | 5,320 |
| 14 | Owensboro Community and Technical CollegeOwensboro, KY · Public | $5,80080% of the leader · rank #14 | $4,554 | $7,933 | $31,283 | 4,875 |
| 15 | Hopkinsville Community CollegeHopkinsville, KY · Public | $5,87580% of the leader · rank #15 | $5,402 | $10,691 | $32,645 | 2,211 |
| 16 | Berea CollegeBerea, KY · Private nonprofit | $6,10679% of the leader · rank #16 | $5,428 | $3,591 | $35,676 | 1,527 |
| 17 | Bluegrass Community and Technical CollegeLexington, KY · Public | $6,11379% of the leader · rank #17 | $4,728 | $10,500 | $32,081 | 12,965 |
| 18 | Jefferson Community and Technical CollegeLouisville, KY · Public | $6,37678% of the leader · rank #18 | $5,441 | $11,651 | $32,950 | 13,429 |
| 19 | Berea Beauty AcademyBerea, KY · - | $7,43775% of the leader · rank #19 | $7,437 | - | - | 40 |
| 20 | Kentucky State UniversityFrankfort, KY · Public | $8,04073% of the leader · rank #20 | $10,225 | $25,938 | $29,640 | 2,020 |
| 21 | Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY · Public | $8,19172% of the leader · rank #21 | $2,603 | $23,000 | $42,105 | 15,347 |
| 22 | Brescia UniversityOwensboro, KY · Private nonprofit | $8,70971% of the leader · rank #22 | $8,977 | $29,430 | $39,897 | 690 |
| 23 | Murray State UniversityMurray, KY · Public | $9,09669% of the leader · rank #23 | $6,242 | $20,500 | $38,473 | 10,020 |
| 24 | Kentucky Mountain Bible CollegeJackson, KY · Private nonprofit | $9,33768% of the leader · rank #24 | $5,773 | - | $21,778 | 94 |
| 25 | Morehead State UniversityMorehead, KY · Public | $9,79367% of the leader · rank #25 | $7,150 | $22,250 | $37,131 | 8,791 |
Showing the 25 cheapest of 79 Scorecard-reporting Kentucky schools. The remaining 54 are ranked in the same net-price order but omitted from this HTML table so the page stays crawlable.
Look up any institution's exact rank via My School Profile, or open its school page for income-bracket net price, debt, and earnings.
What this means for you
Use Kentucky's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.
- Hazard Community and Technical College reports the lowest average net price in Kentucky, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Hazard Community and
- See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
- Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. Kentucky safety
Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.
Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 25 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for Kentucky. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.