Lexington, KY · Clery Act 2023 · Public

University of Kentucky

According to the U.S. Department of Education's Clery Act filings, this profile covers campus safety, crime statistics, fire-safety data, and peer comparison for this 32,703-student campus.

6.60
Incidents / 1k students
#2,725
Rank of 3,050
#45
KY rank
32,703
Enrolled students

Data updated June 2026

The verdict

University of Kentucky reports 6.60 on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, ranking #2,725 of 3,050 ranked U.S. campuses - with more reported incidents than 91% of ranked campuses its size.

6.60
incidents / 1,000 students
#2,725
of 3,050 ranked nationally
91%
report fewer incidents than this campus
165
on-campus incidents, 2023

Safety score = reported on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is safer).

Reporting-period change

What changed in 2023

-8 reported incidents

University of Kentucky decreased from 173 to 165 reported on-campus incidents between the 2022 and 2023 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.

This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.

See national reporting-year changes

University of Kentucky is a Public institution located in Lexington, KY, enrolling approximately 32,703 students. Clery Act data spanning 2021–2023 records 450 total on-campus incidents across all reported crime categories. Within KY, it ranks #45 by safety score. Verify with the U.S. Department of Education Clery Act database →

With 32,703 enrolled students, this campus sits in the large research university bracket, which shapes how raw incident counts should be interpreted.

The most frequently reported category at University of Kentucky is "Fondling" with 126 cumulative incidents across the reporting window. Compared to 5 peer institutions of similar enrollment size in KY averaging 3.34 incidents per 1,000 students, University of Kentucky reports 98% more incidents per student.

Fire safety data covers 1 reporting year for on-campus residential facilities, logging 4 total fires. Arrests and disciplinary actions span 99 category-year records, covering liquor law violations, drug law violations, and weapons possession on-campus. No Department of Education Clery Act enforcement actions are recorded against this institution.

Safety Score

6.60 /1K students

incidents per 1,000 enrolled

National Rank

#2725

See peer comparison

State Rank (KY)

#45

within state peers

Incidents (2023)

165

across 11 crime categories

Where University of Kentucky sits among ranked U.S. campuses

On-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 students, every ranked campus with 2,000+ students

7 safer than 9% of 1,807 ranked campuses

0–1: 874 ranked campuses (48%). Below this entry. 1–2: 281 ranked campuses (16%). Below this entry. 2–3: 186 ranked campuses (10%). Below this entry. 3–4: 135 ranked campuses (7%). Below this entry. 4–5: 84 ranked campuses (5%). Below this entry. 5–6: 71 ranked campuses (4%). Below this entry. 6–7: 36 ranked campuses (2%). This entry sits in this band. 7–8: 37 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 8–9: 103 ranked campuses (6%). Above this entry. This campus 0 9 every ranked campus, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more ranked campuses. 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, Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act) · 2023

Safety percentile vs. peers

University of Kentucky percentile rank 10.7%
National median

Higher percentile = safer than more peers. Rank #2725 out of 3,050 ranked institutions (enrollment >= 500) in the OPE Campus Safety Survey.

Reporting density vs peer median

University of Kentucky reports 98% more incidents per student than the median of 5 peer institutions.

Academic & Financial Profile

Tuition & Costs

In-State Tuition
$13,502
Out-of-State Tuition
$34,140
Avg Net Price
$18,851
Median Debt
$22,500
Pell Grant Recipients
23%
How does this cost rank in KY? →

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
93%
SAT Average
1215
SAT Math Range
530–640
ACT Average
26
ACT Range
21–28

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate
71%
Retention Rate
87%
Median Earnings (6yr)
$47,266
Median Earnings (10yr)
$59,025
Loan Repayment (3yr)
75%

Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.

Enrollment scale

How campus size shapes the safety figures

With 32,703 enrolled students, University of Kentucky is in the largest 2% of the 5,673 institutions in this dataset with a reported enrollment. The safety score above already normalizes reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students, so compare it with similarly sized campuses instead of treating a higher raw count as evidence that a campus is less safe. Use the annual crime table to see what was reported, then use the peer comparison to judge the rate against schools of a similar scale. A lower reported rate is not a guarantee of individual safety or a measure of reporting quality.

Crime Statistics by Year

11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus only

University of Kentucky: on-campus incidents by year

Rising 47% (112 → 165 incidents)

100120140160180 202120222023 112 165 ▲ +47.3%
Crime Type 202320222021
Aggravated Assault 212020
Arson 000
Burglary 17298
Fondling 544824
Incest 000
Motor Vehicle Theft 493722
Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter 000
Negligent Manslaughter 000
Rape 223738
Robbery 220
Statutory Rape 000

Source: US Dept US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Figures show on-campus incidents

Fire Safety

Year Fires Inj. Deaths Cat I Cat II
2023 4 0 0 0 0

Arrests & Disciplinary Actions

99 category-year records
Disposition26%47%27%ArrestsDisciplinary referralsNo action
99 reported records
Category Year Arrests Discipline
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 1 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 56 39
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0

University of Kentucky vs peer institutions

Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment

Scores are incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer).

Selected

KY

University of Kentucky

6.60 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#2,725
Enrollment
32,703
Data year
2023

AL

Auburn University

5.57 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#2,638
Enrollment
33,015
Data year
2023

Similar Institutions

Auburn University
Auburn, AL · 33,015 enrolled
Safety Score 5.57
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · 32,234 enrolled
Safety Score 4.37
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR · 32,140 enrolled
Safety Score 2.21
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX · 31,931 enrolled
Safety Score 0.91
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO · 33,500 enrolled
Safety Score 3.64

Closest by National Rank

Institutions ranked nearest University of Kentucky nationally (rank #2725), regardless of size or state.

University of Hartford
West Hartford, CT
National Rank #2724
University of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN
National Rank #2726
Westminster University
Salt Lake City, UT
National Rank #2723
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
National Rank #2727
University of Jamestown
Jamestown, ND
National Rank #2722

Frequently Asked Questions

Is University of Kentucky safe?
University of Kentucky has a safety score of 6.60 (total on-campus incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #2,725 nationally out of 3,050+ ranked institutions. Compare this with peer institutions for context.
What crimes are reported at University of Kentucky?
Aggravated Assault, Arson, Burglary, Fondling, Incest, and other categories, for calendar year 2023.
How does University of Kentucky compare to similar schools?
See the Similar Institutions section below for peers of similar enrollment in KY.
Does University of Kentucky have fire safety data?
Yes. University of Kentucky reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 4 fires were reported in the most recent year.

Understanding University of Kentucky's Safety Profile

University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY enrolls 32,703 students and has a safety score of 6.60 incidents per 1,000 enrolled students , ranking #2725 nationally. This higher score indicates more reported incidents relative to enrollment, though context matters, urban campuses and larger institutions may have different reporting dynamics.

Reported incidents cover 2021 to 2023. On-campus incidents decreased from 173 in 2022 to 165 in 2023.

Fire safety data covers on-campus residential facilities. 4 fires were reported in the most recent year.

What this means for you

University of Kentucky's 6.60 reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict on any student's safety.

Figures reflect the 2023 Clery Act reporting year as filed with the U.S. Department of Education.

Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCampus Editorial

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure 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.