The real 4-year cost of University of Kentucky in Kentucky
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at University of Kentucky went from $7,736 to $14,177, an average of 2.4% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $14,177Per-semester tuition and mandatory fees ($7,088.50 resident, $17,923 nonresident) approved by Board of Trustees April 2026, doubled for annual total.source
2008–2030: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $7,736 | – | – |
| 2009 | $8,123 | – | – |
| 2010 | $8,610 | – | – |
| 2011 | $9,128 | – | – |
| 2012 | $9,676 | – | – |
| 2013 | $10,110 | – | – |
| 2014 | $10,616 | – | – |
| 2015 | $10,936 | – | – |
| 2016 | $11,484 | – | – |
| 2017 | $11,942 | – | – |
| 2018 | $12,245 | – | – |
| 2019 | $12,360 | – | – |
| 2020 | $12,484 | – | – |
| 2021 | $12,610 | – | – |
| 2022 | $12,859 | – | – |
| 2023 | $13,212 | – | – |
| 2026 | $14,177 | $14,177 | – |
| 2027 | – | $14,516 | $14,262–$14,769 |
| 2028 | – | $14,862 | $14,348–$15,385 |
| 2029 | – | $15,217 | $14,434–$16,028 |
| 2030 | – | $15,580 | $14,521–$16,697 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $14,177 |
| Year 2 | $14,516 |
| Year 3 | $14,862 |
| Year 4 | $15,217 |
| 4-year total | $58,772 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $18,772
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $32,418
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Latest (2023)
- $15,242/ yr
- rising 4.2% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $73,513
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Housing here is rising faster than tuition.
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at University of Kentucky4-year schools with similar prices in Kentucky
Closest to University of Kentucky by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
- Sullivan University$14,220
- Alice Lloyd College$14,080
- Simmons College of Kentucky$13,900
- Beckfield College-Florence$13,295
- The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary$13,086
- University of Louisville$12,828
- American National University-Pikeville$11,484
- Western Kentucky University$11,436
Use this data
Published figures for University of Kentucky from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.