Top 3 Kentucky Colleges Ranked Among the Best in the Nation

What are the top-ranked community colleges in Kentucky? WalletHub recently conducted a study to determine which community colleges are the best in Kentucky. In the report released by the personal finance website, Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro earned high marks.

BEST AND WORST COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN 2025

From smaller class sizes, close-knit social settings, and a personalized learning experience, students tend to gravitate toward a college over a bigger university. It could be a better fit for your educational goals, and luckily, Kentucky has some of the best to choose from!

To help students find the best education value, WalletHub compared over 650 community colleges across 18 key indicators for cost and quality. Their analysis includes factors like in-state tuition and fees, student-faculty ratio, and graduation rates, providing a comprehensive view of affordability and academic performance.

CENTRE COLLEGE - RANKED #1 SOUTHERN COLLEGE

Centre College, located in Danville, Kentucky, is ranked as the best liberal arts school in the South.

The Centre Experience

Becoming a Centre student includes studying abroad, participating in hands-on research or internships locally and around the world, engaging in community engagement, and having the chance to engage with alumni and industry leaders as part of our career readiness program. And with our commitment to helping you graduate in four years, you can enter your career or pursue further studies on time. The return on investment you get from Centre is a dividend that will pay you back for the rest of your life, via https://www.centre.edu/

TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY - RANKED 9TH BEST COLLEGE IN THE SOUTH

Transylvania University, located in Lexington, Kentucky, is another prestigious liberal arts institution popular among students.

The Perfect College City

Being in the heart of Lexington, Kentucky, a thriving city of 300,000 people, sets Transylvania University apart from most other liberal arts colleges. It’s a distinction that will define your quality of life and your future, via https://www.transy.edu

KENTUCKY WESLEYAN COLLEGE - RANKED 10TH BEST IN THE SOUTH

Kentucky Wesleyan, located in Owensboro, Kentucky, is a private liberal arts college known for its business, education, and the sciences programs.

Mission Statement

Here’s our mission statement: Kentucky Wesleyan College, in partnership with the United Methodist Church, fosters a liberal arts education that nourishes and prepares students intellectually, spiritually, and physically to achieve success in life, via https://kwc.edu

Best Community Colleges in 2025

Manhattan Area Technical College
State Technical College of Missouri
Pratt Community College
Santa Fe Community College
Southeast New Mexico College

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STATE-BY-STATE BREAKDOWN

METHODOLOGY

Community colleges were evaluated based on three key dimensions: 1) Cost & Financing, 2) Education Outcomes, and 3) Career Outcomes. A total of 18 metrics were used, grouped into related categories, with each metric assigned a specific weight. Each school was graded on a 100-point scale, where a score of 100 represented the best-performing community college. Then the data was calculated by the weighted average of each school’s scores across all metrics to determine its overall ranking, providing a comprehensive and standardized comparison of the institutions.

Be sure to talk with your local community college to see if it's the right fit for you and your educational needs!