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2025 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky

28 Colleges in Kentucky
1,937 Associate Degrees
$64,851 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #2 in popularity, nursing is one of the most sought-after associate degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual looked at 28 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,937 associate degrees in nursing to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Nursing School for Your Associate Degree

Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky Your choice of nursing for getting your associate degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their associate degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for nursing students working on their associate degree.

More Ways to Rank Nursing Schools

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Nursing Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The nursing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Nursing in Kentucky

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in nursing.

10 Top Kentucky Schools for an Associate in Nursing

1
327 Annual Graduates
$68,114 Median Starting Salary
$12,422 Median Student Debt

Galen College of Nursing - Louisville is a wonderful decision for students pursuing an associate degree in nursing. Galen College of Nursing - Louisville is a small private for-profit college located in the large city of Louisville.

Those nursing students who get their associate degree from Galen College of Nursing - Louisville make $3,263 more than the standard nursing graduate.

More information about a associate in nursing from Galen College of Nursing - Louisville

2
WKU crest
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY

Western Kentucky University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting an associate degree in nursing. WKU is a large public university located in the small city of Bowling Green.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career income of $64,845.

More information about a associate in nursing from Western Kentucky University

3
Sullivan University crest
Sullivan University
Louisville, KY

Sullivan University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting an associate degree in nursing. Located in the large city of Louisville, Sullivan University is a private for-profit university with a small student population.

Associate recipients from the nursing degree program at Sullivan University earn $3,973 above the typical college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a associate in nursing from Sullivan University

4

Jefferson Community and Technical College is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in nursing. Jefferson Community and Technical College is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Louisville.

After graduating, nursing associate recipients usually earn about $63,784 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in nursing from Jefferson Community and Technical College

5

Located in the distant town of Richmond, Eastern is a public university with a fairly large student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career income of $66,512.

More information about a associate in nursing from Eastern Kentucky University

6
61 Annual Graduates

Located in the remote town of Williamsburg, Cumberlands is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in nursing from University of the Cumberlands

7

Bluegrass Community and Technical College is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Lexington.

Soon after graduating, nursing associate recipients typically make about $62,832 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in nursing from Bluegrass Community and Technical College

8

UPIKE is a small private not-for-profit university located in the town of Pikeville.

Nursing associate degree recipients from University of Pikeville get an earnings boost of about $11,719 over the typical income of nursing graduates.

More information about a associate in nursing from University of Pikeville

9

Morehead State University is a medium-sized public university located in the town of Morehead.

Associate recipients from the nursing degree program at Morehead State University earn $5,078 more than the typical graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a associate in nursing from Morehead State University

10

Located in the town of Hopkinsville, Hopkinsville Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program make about $65,979 for their early career.

More information about a associate in nursing from Hopkinsville Community College

Best Nursing Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Mississippi 143 1,269
Georgia 121 1,473
Florida 121 9,083
North Carolina 120 2,538
Arkansas 105 1,212
Tennessee 102 1,235
Virginia 97 2,569
West Virginia 92 813
Louisiana 80 966
South Carolina 77 1,223
Alabama 69 2,116

View All Rankings >

Nursing is one of 34 different types of Health Professions programs to choose from.

Nursing Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 1,937

Related Major Annual Graduates
Allied Health Professions 529
Health & Medical Administrative Services 209
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 171
Health Sciences & Services 63
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 44
Dental Support Services 43
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science 36
Mental & Social Health Services 19
Somatic Bodywork & Therapeutic Services 1

Notes and References

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