Most Affordable Private Colleges in Kentucky
Private nonprofit colleges rarely cost what their price tags say. Among the 17 we rank in Kentucky, the average net price runs from $6,106 to $29,579 a year, a range of $23,473.
The median net price is $20,311, $3,549 (15%) below the national median of $23,860 for private nonprofit colleges. Median tuition and fees are $31,550, but the median net price, which also counts room, board and books after grants, is $20,311, so aid more than covers the housing and living costs added on top of tuition.
Berea College ranks first at $6,106, ahead of Brescia University ($8,709) and Georgetown College ($14,095).
How this list is built
A college appears here only if it meets every condition below.
- Colleges considered
- Private nonprofit 4-year colleges whose main award is the bachelor's degree
- Ranked by net price, lowest first. Ties are broken by larger undergraduate enrollment, then by name.
- Main campuses only, with at least 60% of core data fields reported
- Main campus located in Kentucky
- At least 500 undergraduate students enrolled (fall 2024)
- A reported net price value (schools without one are not ranked)
- This page is published only when at least 15 schools qualify; Kentucky has 17
- Data period
- Net price: average for students receiving aid, academic year 2023-24.
- Tuition and fees: full-time undergraduate sticker price, academic year 2024-25 (the same for in-state and out-of-state students).
- Net price by income: students with family income of $0 to $30,000, academic year 2023-24.
- Graduation rate: first-time, full-time students who started in fall 2018 (4-year) or fall 2021 (2-year), finishing within 150% of normal time.
- Earnings: median earnings four years after completing, measured in 2022 and 2023 for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 cohorts, in 2024 dollars.
- Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.
Showing all 17 qualifying schools. Select a column heading to re-sort the table.
| 1 | Berea College Berea, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $6,106 | $51,658 | $5,428 | 60% | $42,924 |
| 2 | Brescia University Owensboro, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $8,709 | $31,550 | $8,977 | 51% | $51,492 |
| 3 | Georgetown College Georgetown, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $14,095 | $42,840 | $9,777 | 48% | $54,370 |
| 4 | University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $14,107 | $9,875 | $10,736 | 48% | $51,882 |
| 5 | Lindsey Wilson University Columbia, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $15,070 | $27,808 | $14,745 | 41% | $43,852 |
| 6 | Kentucky Wesleyan College Owensboro, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $17,131 | $34,673 | $13,951 | 49% | $45,592 |
| 7 | Alice Lloyd College Pippa Passes, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $18,600 | $13,960 | $17,444 | 32% | $42,268 |
| 8 | Campbellsville University Campbellsville, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,341 | $27,998 | $17,880 | 44% | $47,650 |
| 9 | University of Pikeville Pikeville, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $20,311 | $24,850 | $13,115 | 40% | $55,132 |
| 10 | Centre College Danville, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $20,781 | $52,820 | $11,364 | 83% | $64,933 |
| 11 | Union Commonwealth University Barbourville, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,311 | $30,946 | $12,214 | 34% | $52,077 |
| 12 | Asbury University Wilmore, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,401 | $33,640 | $18,455 | 65% | $45,728 |
| 13 | Bellarmine University Louisville, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,499 | $48,770 | $18,430 | 66% | $64,564 |
| 14 | Thomas More University Crestview Hills, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,835 | $39,800 | $15,841 | 40% | $70,208 |
| 15 | Transylvania University Lexington, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,913 | $46,870 | $14,551 | 71% | $50,923 |
| 16 | Spalding University Louisville, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $25,491 | $29,200 | $20,509 | 54% | $64,136 |
| 17 | Midway University Midway, KY Private nonprofit · 4-year | $29,579 | $27,220 | $27,206 | 43% | $54,588 |
How to compare these colleges
Do not rule out a private college because of its sticker price. Private colleges often discount heavily, and the net price shown here is what students who receive aid pay on average, including housing and books. Your own offer depends on your family income and the school's aid policy, so run each college's net price calculator and compare actual award letters.
Guides worth reading first
More lists for Kentucky
Cheapest colleges in Kentucky
25 schools
Best value colleges in Kentucky
22 schools
Highest graduate earnings in Kentucky
28 schools
Same list in nearby states
Most affordable private colleges in Ohio
46 schools
Most affordable private colleges in Illinois
37 schools
Most affordable private colleges in Indiana
27 schools
All 35 colleges in Kentucky See the national version of this ranking