There are lots of options to choose from today when trying to decide which school to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges in Kentucky ranking is part of that endeavor.
We analyzed 26 colleges and universities across Kentucky to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
Better Early-Career Average Salaries
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. A associate degree holder from a school in Kentucky makes an average starting salary of $43,411, but the students who attended schools in the top 24 of our list make an average of $44,873.
Starting Salary ( 29444 to 52926 )
Student Loan Borrowing
Students may also take on a lot of debt while working on their associate so we factor that into our rankings as well.
During their time at college, associate degree seekers from schools in Kentucky take out an average of $12,704.
We consider this number in conjunction with average post-graduation earnings to gauge the difficulty associate recipients will have paying back their loans.
Additional Ranking Factors We Use
In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Associate Degree Schools ranking.
These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.
Are you more interested in the top associate degree schools in your area? Try narrowing this list by location. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
Sullivan University tops this year’s ranking as the best school for associate degrees in Kentucky for overall quality. Louisville, Kentucky is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out associate degrees to 348 students in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Sullivan University make an average of $36,964 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $24,588.
A rank of #2 on our Best Associate Degree in Kentucky list means Western Kentucky University is a great place for students working on their degree. WKU is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 166 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a associate degree from WKU go into careers with an average salary of $64,845 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #3 on our Best Associate Degree in Kentucky list means Northern Kentucky University is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, the fairly large public school handed out 15 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from NKU make an average of $36,841 per year during the early years of their career.
A rank of #4 on our Best Associate Degree in Kentucky list means Jefferson Community and Technical College is a great place for students working on their degree. Jefferson Community and Technical College is a fairly large public school situated in Louisville, Kentucky. It awarded 1,323 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Jefferson Community and Technical College make an average of $45,497 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $8,113 in student loans.
The excellent associate degree programs at Bluegrass Community and Technical College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Kentucky. Located in Lexington, Kentucky, the fairly large public school handed out 1,618 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Bluegrass Community and Technical College make an average of $42,955 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $10,000.
University of the Cumberlands came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Williamsburg, Kentucky, and it awarded 166 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
University of Pikeville did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Pikeville, Kentucky, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 42 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from UPIKE go into careers with an average salary of $76,570 during the early years of their career.
Gateway Community and Technical College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky list. Gateway is a public institution located in Florence, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 543 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Gateway make an average of $44,549 a year.
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #9. SKYCTC is a medium-sized public school situated in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It awarded 586 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from SKYCTC make an average of $37,122 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $11,150.
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #10. This medium-sized public school is located in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and it awarded 914 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,434 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $7,726.
With a ranking of #11, Owensboro Community and Technical College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky list. Owensboro Community and Technical College is a small public school situated in Owensboro, Kentucky. It awarded 656 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Owensboro Community and Technical College go into careers with an average salary of $30,849 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $10,151 in student loans.
Eastern Kentucky University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. Richmond, Kentucky is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 117 students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Eastern make an average of $51,740 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #13, Morehead State University did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky list. Morehead State University is a medium-sized public school located in Morehead, Kentucky that handed out 150 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Morehead State University make an average of $67,437 per year during the early years of their career.
Hopkinsville Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. This small public school is located in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and it awarded 398 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $34,388 during the early years of their career.
West Kentucky Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Paducah, Kentucky, the medium-sized public school awarded 544 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from West Kentucky Community and Technical College make an average of $36,230 a year.
Madisonville Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #16. This small public school is located in Madisonville, Kentucky, and it awarded 409 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $44,293 during the early years of their career.
Midway University did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #17. Midway is located in Midway, Kentucky and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 54 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Midway make an average of $62,012 a year.
Ashland Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #18. ACTC is a public institution located in Ashland, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 354 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from ACTC make an average of $40,369 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #19, Campbellsville University did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky list. Campbellsville University is located in Campbellsville, Kentucky and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 37 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Campbellsville University is $47,389 during the early years of their career.
Somerset Community College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky list. SCC is a public institution located in Somerset, Kentucky. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 644 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $36,459 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #21, Maysville Community and Technical College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky list. Maysville, Kentucky is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 401 students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Maysville Community and Technical College make an average of $37,834 per year during the early years of their career.
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College landed the #22 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. Cumberland, Kentucky is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 374 students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Southeast make an average of $39,746 per year during the early years of their career.
Henderson Community College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky list. Located in Henderson, Kentucky, the small public school handed out 197 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $47,723 during the early years of their career.
Hazard Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #24. Hazard Community and Technical College is a public institution located in Hazard, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 363 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Hazard Community and Technical College is $42,001 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #25, Big Sandy Community and Technical College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Kentucky list. Big Sandy Community and Technical College is a small public school located in Prestonsburg, Kentucky that handed out 416 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $33,704 during the early years of their career.
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%.
