by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which grad school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Top Kentucky Colleges for a Doctorate ranking - to help you make that decision.
Jump to Any of the Following Sections: * Our Methodology
We analyzed 11 grad schools across Kentucky to determine which have the best doctorate degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best grad schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a doctorate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. A doctorate degree holder from a school in Kentucky makes an average starting salary of $76,257, but the students who attended schools in the top 11 of our list make an average of $77,451.
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that graduate students take on while pursuing their doctorate degree. The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
Our Best Doctorate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt. 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.
To learn more, visit our graduate school ranking methodology page.
Still not sure what graduate degree you wish to pursue? You may want to visit our Best Master's Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
University of Kentucky tops this year’s ranking as the best grad school for doctorate degrees in Kentucky for overall quality. This large public school is located in Lexington, Kentucky, and it awarded 893 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from UK go into careers with an average salary of $72,140 during the early years of their career.
The excellent doctorate degree programs at Bellarmine University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Kentucky. Bellarmine U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Louisville, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 91 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from Bellarmine U go into careers with an average salary of $65,854 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #3 on our Best Doctorate Degrees in Kentucky list means University of the Cumberlands is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Williamsburg, Kentucky, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 194 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Cumberlands is $69,695 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #4 on our Best Doctorate Degrees in Kentucky list means Sullivan University is a great place for students working on their degree. Sullivan University is a small private for-profit school situated in Louisville, Kentucky. It awarded 70 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Sullivan University make an average of $107,273 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Louisville. The school came in at #5 in Kentucky on this year’s best doctorate degree schools ranking. Located in Louisville, Kentucky, the large public school handed out 595 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from UofL go into careers with an average salary of $73,687 during the early years of their career.
Spalding University did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #6. Spalding is a private not-for-profit institution located in Louisville, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 39 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $76,609 during the early years of their career.
Murray State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Murray, Kentucky, and it awarded 65 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Murray State is $154,842 during the early years of their career.
Eastern Kentucky University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Richmond, Kentucky, and it awarded 58 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $54,959 during the early years of their career.
Northern Kentucky University did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Kentucky ranking, coming in at #9. This fairly large public school is located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, and it awarded 203 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from NKU make an average of $41,900 per year during the early years of their career.
Western Kentucky University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Kentucky list. Bowling Green, Kentucky is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate degrees to 68 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from WKU go into careers with an average salary of $80,750 during the early years of their career.
University of Pikeville ranked #11 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Kentucky list. Pikeville, Kentucky is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 194 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $54,249 during the early years of their career.
View Best Doctorate Degree Schools Nationwide >
More about our data sources and methodologies.