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NurseSavvy ranking · Kentucky · updated October 10, 2026

Best Nursing Schools in Kentucky (2026): The NurseSavvy Top 10

We ranked all 65 RN programs in Kentucky that publish a first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, on the four things that decide whether a program gets you to a nursing license you can afford: passing the NCLEX, actually finishing, the cost next to what nurses earn in Kentucky, and what graduates earn a year out.

Berea College comes out on top. Here are the top 10, with every number’s source — and you can re-rank them by what matters to you.

No school can pay for placement. Public data only — see the full methodology.

Rank it your way

Rank Kentucky’s 65 RN programs on what matters to you

NCLEX pass rate, students who finish, cost vs nurse pay, grads’ early pay — compare in-state, by region, or nationwide.

The top 10 nursing programs in Kentucky

Scores are out of 100 under the default NurseSavvy weights. A school with two programs (say, an ADN and a BSN) can appear twice.

  1. 1

    Berea College

    BereaBachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN)· Private nonprofit

    81score

    94% of its nursing students finish the program on time, and 91.7% pass the NCLEX on the first try.

    NCLEX strength
    91.7% of 12
    Students who finish
    94% finish
    Cost-to-pay value
    $6,106/yr net price
    Early-career earnings
    $67,510 1 yr out

    Start to license: 86 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.

  2. 2

    Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College

    Bowling GreenAssociate Degree in Nursing (ADN/ASN)· Public

    81score

    A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 60 test-takers carries its score.

    NCLEX strength
    100% of 60
    Students who finish
    79% finish
    Cost-to-pay value
    $3,537/yr net price
    Early-career earnings
    $62,552 1 yr out

    Start to license: 79 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.

  3. 3

    Somerset Community College

    LondonAssociate Degree in Nursing (ADN/ASN)· Public

    81score

    90% of its nursing students finish the program on time, and 94.7% pass the NCLEX on the first try.

    NCLEX strength
    94.7% of 19
    Students who finish
    90% finish
    Cost-to-pay value
    $4,398/yr net price
    Early-career earnings
    $62,747 1 yr out

    Start to license: 85 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.

  4. 4

    University of Kentucky

    LexingtonBachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN)· Public

    77score

    88% of its nursing students finish the program on time, and 94.7% pass the NCLEX on the first try.

    NCLEX strength
    94.7% of 281
    Students who finish
    88% finish
    Cost-to-pay value
    $18,851/yr net price
    Early-career earnings
    $71,461 1 yr out

    Start to license: 84 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.

  5. 5

    Western Kentucky University

    Bowling GreenBachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN)· Public

    77score

    A 96.4% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 138 test-takers carries its score.

    NCLEX strength
    96.4% of 138
    Students who finish
    79% finish
    Cost-to-pay value
    $10,990/yr net price
    Early-career earnings
    $68,294 1 yr out

    Start to license: 76 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.

  6. 6

    Morehead State University

    Mt. SterlingAssociate Degree in Nursing (ADN/ASN)· Public

    76score

    A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 12 test-takers carries its score.

    NCLEX strength
    100% of 12
    Students who finish
    79% finish
    Cost-to-pay value
    $9,793/yr net price
    Early-career earnings
    $69,929 1 yr out

    Start to license: 79 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.

  7. 7

    Murray State University

    MurrayBachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN)· Public

    75score

    81% of its nursing students finish the program on time, and 92.1% pass the NCLEX on the first try.

    NCLEX strength
    92.1% of 76
    Students who finish
    81% finish
    Cost-to-pay value
    $9,096/yr net price
    Early-career earnings
    $68,608 1 yr out

    Start to license: 75 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.

  8. 8

    Maysville Community and Technical College

    MaysvilleAssociate Degree in Nursing (ADN/ASN)· Public

    74score

    A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 19 test-takers carries its score.

    NCLEX strength
    100% of 19
    Students who finish
    72% finish
    Cost-to-pay value
    $4,605/yr net price
    Early-career earnings
    $64,217 1 yr out

    Start to license: 72 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.

  9. 9

    Somerset Community College

    ManchesterAssociate Degree in Nursing (ADN/ASN)· Public

    73score

    88% of its nursing students finish the program on time, and 85.7% pass the NCLEX on the first try.

    NCLEX strength
    85.7% of 14
    Students who finish
    88% finish
    Cost-to-pay value
    $4,398/yr net price
    Early-career earnings
    $62,747 1 yr out

    Start to license: 75 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.

  10. 10

    Morehead State University

    MoreheadBachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN)· Public

    73score

    A 95.7% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 47 test-takers carries its score.

    NCLEX strength
    95.7% of 47
    Students who finish
    73% finish
    Cost-to-pay value
    $9,793/yr net price
    Early-career earnings
    $70,523 1 yr out

    Start to license: 70 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.

All 99 approved programs in Kentucky Full rankings table

The Kentucky leaders on each measure

Different students weigh these differently — here is who leads on each one alone, among programs that publish it.

How we ranked Kentucky’s nursing schools

  • NCLEX pass rate (33%). The 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rate from the Kentucky board of nursing, steadied for small cohorts.
  • Students who finish (33%). The program’s own on-time completion rate, where a board or the program publishes it.
  • Cost vs nurse pay (20%). Average net price per year next to Kentucky’s median RN pay (College Scorecard + BLS).
  • Graduates’ early pay (14%). What the program’s nursing graduates earn one year out, next to the state’s RN median.

A missing figure is a labeled 33rd-percentile fill-in, never a guess. Programs without a published NCLEX rate, and direct-entry master’s programs, are not ranked. Every formula and source →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best nursing school in Kentucky?

Under the NurseSavvy ranking, Berea College (Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN), Berea) ranks #1 of 65 RN programs in Kentucky with a score of 81 out of 100 and a 91.7% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate. "Best" depends on what you weigh most — re-rank the list on this page by your own priorities.

How did NurseSavvy rank Kentucky nursing schools?

Every RN program with a published 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is scored 0–100 on four public measures: NCLEX pass rate (33%), students who finish (33%), cost next to local RN pay (20%), and graduates’ pay one year out (14%). Pass rates come from the Kentucky board of nursing; cost and pay from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

What does “fill-in” mean on this list?

When a program has not published a figure, we do not guess it. It is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs (same degree type) that do publish it — below typical — and labeled “fill-in” wherever it appears. Publishing its real number can only help a program that performs well.

Can a school pay to rank higher?

No. Schools cannot pay, partner, sponsor, or advertise their way to a better rank. Every input is public data, and the same formula applies to every program.

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