2023 Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in Kentucky
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which nursing program is right for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools and bootcamp that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. Our analysis looked at 21 schools in Kentucky to see which bachelor's degree programs offered the best educational experiences for nursing students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in Kentucky
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Bellarmine University the best school in Kentucky for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Bellarmine U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Louisville, Kentucky. It awarded 660 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Bellarmine U does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $45,630. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,971 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Bellarmine U, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 8% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Out of the 21 schools in Kentucky that were part of this year’s ranking, Kentucky Christian University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in Grayson, Kentucky, the very small private not-for-profit school awarded 106 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Kentucky Christian University, expect to pay an average of $23,700 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,204 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Kentucky Christian University. During the 2020-2021 year, about 0% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Kentucky helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Kentucky. UK is a large public school situated in Lexington, Kentucky. It awarded 5,449 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $12,859 in tuition and fees if they attend UK full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $32,276. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,844 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at UK, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 37% took at least some of their classes online.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Louisville helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Kentucky. This large public school is located in Louisville, Kentucky, and it awarded 3,008 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Kentucky pay an average of $12,520 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend UofL. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $28,866. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UofL accumulate an average of $20,473 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at UofL, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 60% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 21 schools in Kentucky that were part of this year’s ranking, Berea College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Berea College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Berea, Kentucky that handed out 316 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Berea does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $45,026. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $6,157 in student loans.
Berea does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 1% took at least some of their classes online.
Spalding University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. Spalding is located in Louisville, Kentucky and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 216 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Spalding does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $27,050. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,832 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Spalding. During the 2020-2021 year, about 70% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
University of Pikeville did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Pikeville, Kentucky is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 197 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at UPIKE is $23,150. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UPIKE accumulate an average of $25,989 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at UPIKE. In 2020-2021 about 53% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Union College Kentucky came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. Located in Barbourville, Kentucky, the very small private not-for-profit school handed out 220 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Union College is $30,065. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $26,924 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Union College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 65% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #9, Northern Kentucky University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. NKU is a fairly large public school situated in Highland Heights, Kentucky. It awarded 2,147 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Kentucky who attend NKU full time pay an average of $10,592 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $20,848. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,440 in loans while pursuing their degree.
NKU does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 69% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Thomas More University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #10 on the list. Thomas More is a private not-for-profit institution located in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 288 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Thomas More is $35,810. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,126 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Thomas More does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 51% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Western Kentucky University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #11 on the list. Bowling Green, Kentucky is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,009 students in 2021-2022.
Bachelor’s Degree recipients from WKU accumulate an average of $22,570 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since WKU does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 55% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Eastern Kentucky University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. Richmond, Kentucky is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,492 students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Kentucky pay an average of $9,844 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Eastern. Out-of-state students pay an average of $20,222. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,082 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Eastern does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 71% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Beckfield College - Florence landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Beckfield College - Florence is located in Florence, Kentucky and has a very small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 28 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $13,295 to cover tuition and fees at Beckfield College - Florence. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $33,049 in student loans.
Beckfield College - Florence does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2020-2021 year, about 94% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #14, University of the Cumberlands did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Williamsburg, Kentucky, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 1,360 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,690 in student loans.
Cumberlands does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 85% took at least some of their classes online.
Midway University landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in Midway, Kentucky, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 204 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
Midway does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $25,050. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Midway accumulate an average of $22,297 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Midway does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 74% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Murray State University landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Murray State is a public institution located in Murray, Kentucky. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,500 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Murray State is $9,432. Out-of-state students pay an average of $18,888. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Murray State accumulate an average of $21,717 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Murray State. In 2020-2021 about 42% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Sullivan University landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Sullivan University is a private for-profit institution located in Louisville, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 152 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $32,867 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Sullivan University. During the 2020-2021 year, about 81% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Lindsey Wilson College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #18 on the list. Lindsey Wilson College is located in Columbia, Kentucky and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 424 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $26,228 to cover tuition and fees at Lindsey Wilson College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Lindsey Wilson College accumulate an average of $17,365 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Lindsey Wilson College does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 62% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Kentucky State University landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. KY State is a public institution located in Frankfort, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 150 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Kentucky pay an average of $9,004 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend KY State. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,932. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $27,481 in loans while pursuing their degree.
KY State does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 86% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Campbellsville University landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Campbellsville University is located in Campbellsville, Kentucky and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 421 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $26,100 to cover tuition and fees at Campbellsville University. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,915 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Campbellsville University does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 41% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #21, Morehead State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Morehead, Kentucky, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,135 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $9,560 in tuition and fees if they attend Morehead State University full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,286. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Morehead State University accumulate an average of $25,121 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Morehead State University, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 53% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 21 schools only.
References
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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