Kentucky colleges and universities showing progress toward statewide agenda for higher education

May 13, 2026

Compared to previous years, Kentucky's students are more likely to graduate on time and pursue upper-level credentials, and fewer are borrowing to pay for college, according to a new report and data dashboard from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE).

The 2026 Progress Report: Progress Toward Kentucky's Statewide Strategic Agenda Goals, details higher education performance based on the most recent data available and shows strong indicators of improvement:

• Total undergraduate enrollment increased by more than 10,000 students between the Fall 2024 and Fall 2025 semesters. This represents a 4.6% increase among Kentucky’s public institutions and the Association for Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU) campuses.
• First-to-Second-Year retention rates remained steady at both the public universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) schools.
• Graduation rates increased across the board, with a nearly 4 percentage point increase at KCTCS between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years. Also, on-time graduation (four-year) rates at Kentucky’s public universities showed strong gains, increasing 2.7% during the same time frame.
• The number of undergraduate degrees and credentials earned in 2024-25 reflected a strong one-year improvement, with a 1.4% increase in bachelor’s degrees awarded by Kentucky’s public and AIKCU institutions and a 4.2% increase in certificates, diplomas and associate degrees awarded by KCTCS.
• The number of graduate-level degrees and credentials earned from Kentucky’s public and AIKCU institutions surged by more than 1,800, a 9.5% increase.

“These results show that when institutions focus strategically on student success, it works,” said CPE President Aaron Thompson. “Our public universities, KCTCS and AIKCU campuses are making great strides in implementing innovative and holistic services that support both our students and state goals. That's exactly what the strategic agenda is designed to drive.”

In addition to student performance metrics, the Council also tracks affordability trends affecting Kentucky’s students and their families. According to the report, six out of 10 undergraduates attending Kentucky’s public institutions now graduate debt free, and among those graduating with debt, the average amount has decreased 4.9% from 2024 to 2025.

However, amounts of unmet financial need – the total cost of attendance minus all grants and scholarships – could threaten Kentucky’s progress in student debt reduction. Amounts of unmet financial need increased by more than $1,600, representing a 29% jump.

This rise is driven primarily by increasing inflation rates affecting costs. In addition to economic factors, higher education also experienced a 3% drop in net General Fund appropriations per full-time enrollment (FTE) when comparing FY25 to FY26.

“This growth in unmet need is concerning – it reflects that current economic pressures are outpacing our affordability efforts, despite Kentucky ranking near the top nationally in financial aid provision,” said Thompson. “CPE is committed to partnering with institutions, state policymakers and our communities to expand affordability solutions that keep higher education accessible to all Kentucky students.”

The full report and dashboard can be accessed on the Council’s website.