Kentucky State University
Frankfort, Kentucky · Public · 96.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 9/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Kentucky State University earns an overall ROI score of 9 (Below Benchmark). The public HBCU in Frankfort, KY charges $9,387 in-state tuition with an average net price of just $8,040 - the institution is genuinely affordable on paper. Four-year cost is $32,160. The problem is what happens after enrollment. Completion is 31.9%, average earnings six years out are just $25,600 (and a median of only $36,382 at 10 years), debt-to-earnings sits at 1.013 (students owe more than they earn in a year), and the calculated payback period is 124.6 years - meaning earnings essentially never recoup the cost. Repayment is 43.5% at three years, falling to 38.1% seven-year. The institution serves an overwhelmingly Pell-eligible student body (58.3%) and many enrollees struggle academically and financially. KSU's mission as Kentucky's only public HBCU is significant, but the financial outcomes for the typical entering student are difficult.
How Kentucky State University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score9/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.01 - Median debt is larger than one year of average earnings six years after entry (a ratio above 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate31.9% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Kentucky State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,387/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $13,658/yr |
| Average net price | $8,040/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $32,160 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $36,382 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $25,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,938 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $275 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 31.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,309 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $9,387/year ($13,658/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $8,040/year, or roughly $32,160 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $10,225/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,938, which works out to about $275 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($25,600) and comes to 1.01, 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $10,225 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $6,739 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $5,256 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $1,958 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay $10,225 net - which is actually higher than what middle-income families pay. The 30-48K bracket pays $6,739. Four-year cost for the lowest-income cohort is $41K. This is an inverted-bracket pattern that warrants investigation. Pell-eligible students pay more than would be expected from a typical aid structure.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48-75K bracket pays $5,256 and the 75-110K bracket pays $1,958. Both are dramatically below the low-income figure. Flag: this is a significantly inverted aid pattern across all brackets. The 75-110K bracket pays almost nothing.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for the over-110K bracket is not reported. The inverted pattern across the reported brackets does not allow extrapolation. Prospective families should run the net price calculator individually rather than rely on cohort averages, as KSU's discount structure does not follow conventional need-based logic.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Kentucky State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $42,743 | D |
| Journalism | $42,363 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,767 | D |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $34,522 | F |
| Business Administration and Management | $42,392 | F |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Psychology
Psychology earns a D with 18 graduates. Four-year earnings of $42,743 against $33,746 debt produces a 0.79 ratio. First-year earnings are suppressed. The debt load is unusually high for the discipline at KSU's price structure, suggesting students borrow well beyond the average. Limited program-level data confidence.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice earns a D with 11 graduates. First-year earnings of $33,099 against $28,162 debt produces a 0.851 ratio. Four-year earnings climb to $46,767, which is the most defensible cohort trajectory at KSU. Students pursuing law enforcement careers should consider this the most viable program track at the institution.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration earns an F. First-year earnings of $27,013 against $30,750 debt - a 1.138 ratio. Students owe more than a full year of wages. Four-year earnings of $42,392 do not recover the position relative to debt service. Graduate count is suppressed but this is a popular major nationally and at KSU appears to be producing poor outcomes.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Teacher Education (Subject-Specific) earns an F with 7 graduates. First-year earnings of $25,378 against $26,436 debt produces a 1.042 ratio. Four-year earnings stall at $34,522.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 31.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 43.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 29.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 38.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Kentucky State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 96.1% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 14-17 |
| Enrollment | 1,309 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 58.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,036 |
Kentucky State admits 96.1% of applicants - effectively open access. ACT mid-range is 14-17, which is notably low and reflects an entering class with significant academic preparation gaps. SAT mid-ranges are not reported. The combination of broad access and modest preparation infrastructure produces the 31.9% completion rate. Strong students who enroll committed to completion can succeed, but the institutional norm trends toward attrition.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky State University (this school) | 9 | $8,040 | $36,382 |
| Lincoln University | 10 | $19,092 | $39,463 |
| Bethune-Cookman University | 9 | $12,030 | $38,518 |
| Fort Valley State University | 9 | $10,338 | $36,666 |
| South Carolina State University | 9 | $18,097 | $38,262 |
| Virginia Union University | 9 | $13,235 | $38,275 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Kentucky State University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Kentucky State fits students drawn to public HBCU identity who want low cost and Kentucky in-state status. Pell rate is 58.3% and enrollment is just 1,309 - small. The fit case rests on mission and community rather than financial-ROI metrics. Students should maximize outside scholarships and target a specific credential path (criminal justice has the most defensible outcomes in the program data).
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Kentucky State University scores 9/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $8,040 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $36,382 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 31.9% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.01 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 43.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,938 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $25,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.01. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Kentucky State University: Common Questions
Is Kentucky State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Kentucky State University scores 9/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $8,040 a year after aid against $36,382 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Kentucky State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $8,040 a year, or roughly $32,160 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Kentucky State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $36,382 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Kentucky State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at more than 50 years for Kentucky State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Kentucky State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,938, against average earnings of $25,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.01. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Kentucky State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 31.9%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.