Kentucky Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide
This teacher preparation guide was designed for aspiring teachers looking for information on teaching schools in Kentucky. The state of Kentucky is home to several colleges and universities that offer degree programs that prepare students to enter the vibrant world of education. Scroll through the page below for details on how to obtain a teaching degree in Kentucky as well as information such as lists of top-rated teaching programs, a table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation programs, and student reviews. Whether you’re looking to switch careers or fresh out of college, starting your search here will help you find a program that meets your individual career goals as a new teacher.
Quick Facts
- There are 33 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Kentucky.1
- 9 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.*1
- 27 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*1
- 19 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*1
- 3 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019.2
- No schools ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2020.3
- 5 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019.4
- 8 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019.5
- 19 not-for-profit teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.
*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.
Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in Kentucky
Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*
- Berea College (#95)
- Transylvania University (#104)
- University of Louisville (#243)
*Institution-wide ranking.
US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019
- University of Kentucky (#57 tie)
- University of Louisville (#93 tie)
- Western Kentucky University (#157 tie)
- Bellarmine University (#195-258)
- University of the Cumberlands (#195-258)
US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019
- Western Kentucky University (#42 tie)
- University of Louisville (#54 tie)
- Eastern Kentucky University (#89 tie)
- University of the Cumberlands (#115 tie)
- Campbellsville University (#148 tie)
- Georgetown College (#174 tie)
- University of Kentucky (#189 tie)
- Lindsey Wilson College (#228-299)
School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Kentucky
Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs
We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in Kentucky according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Kentucky Department of Education for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.
While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states. Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies. We have also included rankings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research and policy group that scores teacher preparation programs at the national level using key standards chosen to measure students’ preparation for success in teaching. For further information on the NCTQ’s program rankings, please see the notes below the table.
You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution for the 2017-2018 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education records under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides for reporting that holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality.
Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “-“.
State-Approved School | CAEP Accred.?6 | NCTQ Undergrad Elementary Prog. % (2016)**7 | NCTQ Undergrad Secondary Prog. % (2017)**7 | Teacher Prep Prog. Enrollment8 | Teacher Prep Prog. Completers8 | Licensing Exams Pass Rate8 | Net Price***1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alice Lloyd College | No | — | 23% | 27 | 12 | 67% | $14,075 |
Asbury University | Yes | 70% | 76% | 100 | 30 | 89% | $22,500 |
Bellarmine University | Yes | — | — | 108 | 55 | 100% | $24,711 |
Berea College | Yes | — | — | 35 | 11 | 73% | $1,680 |
Brescia University | No | — | — | 15 | 3 | — | $13,496 |
Campbellsville University | Yes | 52% | 40% | 92 | 46 | 93% | $16,523 |
Eastern Kentucky University | Yes | 28% | 54% | 430 | 189 | 91% | $12,659 |
Georgetown College | Yes | 45% | — | 84 | 17 | 100% | $19,012 |
Kentucky Christian University | No | 63% | — | 15 | 8 | — | $18,025 |
Kentucky State University | Yes | 10% | 9% | 30 | 9 | — | $9,561 |
Kentucky Wesleyan College | No | 38% | 23% | 24 | 14 | 86% | $21,958 |
Lindsey Wilson College | Yes | 63% | 3% | 59 | 20 | 90% | $15,897 |
Midway University | No | — | — | 61 | 23 | 86% | $24,895 |
Morehead State University | Yes | 66% | — | 339 | 162 | 92% | $12,136 |
Murray State University | No | — | 64% | 320 | 193 | 97% | $11,562 |
Northern Kentucky University | Yes | 63% | 31% | 244 | 149 | 89% | $9,338 |
Spalding University | Yes | 28% | — | 45 | 12 | 92% | $20,619 |
Thomas More College | Yes | 54% | — | 19 | 15 | 100% | $19,221 |
Transylvania University | Yes | — | — | 21 | 9 | — | $26,454 |
Union College | Yes | 15% | 18% | 30 | 13 | 100% | $20,051 |
University of Kentucky | Yes | — | — | 458 | 251 | 95% | $19,361 |
University of Louisville | No | 79% | 69% | 216 | 166 | 96% | $17,008 |
University of Pikeville | No | — | 67% | 16 | 11 | 100% | $18,297 |
University of the Cumberlands | Yes | — | 49% | 621 | 116 | 99% | $19,212 |
Western Kentucky University | Yes | — | — | 327 | 265 | 92% | $11,817 |
*The NCTQ rated undergraduate elementary teaching programs in 2016 and undergraduate secondary teaching programs in 2017 by national percentile based on their overall scores on the NCTQ’s standards for teacher education. Schools that do not provide data on all key standards or that fall below the top 50% of schools nationally are not included by the NCTQ in their ratings. Visit the NCTQ website for more information on its standards and methodologies.
**Net price is per year for undergraduate tuition as calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).
Profiles of Well-Known Schools
Western Kentucky University: The Western Kentucky College of Education strives to stay on the cutting edge of education pedagogy while staying true to the principles that have made it the fastest growing university in the state of Kentucky for 14 years in a row. The College of Education is one of the largest colleges on the campus and is comprised of several academic units including Counseling and Student Affairs, Educational Administration and Organizational Leadership and Teacher Education. The College of Education offers undergraduate and graduate programs with several dozen majors including middle grades education, science education, social studies education, special education, secondary education, library media education, elementary education and more. Western Kentucky University faculty members in the College of Education strive to focus on research while effectively mentoring both undergraduates and graduate students. Students can earn traditional degrees on campus as well as entirely online.
Eastern Kentucky University: Located in Richmond, Kentucky near I-75, within a two-hour drive of Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky University prepares students to lead productive and enriched lives. The EKU College of Education believes that learning is personally constructed and is impacted by social interactions, an individual’s culture, social influences, and prior experiences. To facilitate learning, candidates must engage their students in scaffolded experiences and discussions that allow students to make new information and strategies. Knowledge and pedagogy are developed through a variety of instructional strategies focused on the development of critical thinking, independent study and research, cultural experiences and supervised applied learning in field and clinical sites. The faculty shares a commitment to individualized teaching and learning and a belief that we must also model effective practices.
Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Kentucky
Alice Lloyd College
100 Purpose Rd
Pippa Passes, KY 41844
(606) 368-2101
https://www.alc.edu/

Asbury College
1 Macklem Dr
Wilmore, KY 40390-1198
(859) 858-3511
www.asbury.edu
Bellarmine University
2001 Newburg Rd
Louisville, KY 40205-0671
(502) 452-8000
www.bellarmine.edu
Berea College
101 Chestnut St
Berea, KY 40404-2182
(859) 985-3000
www.berea.edu
Bluegrass Community and Technical College*
470 Cooper Dr
Lexington, KY 40506
(859) 246-2400
Brescia University
717 Frederica St
Owensboro, KY 42301-3023
(270) 685-3131
www.brescia.edu
Campbellsville University
1 University Dr
Campbellsville, KY 42718
270-789-5000
https://www.campbellsville.edu/

Eastern Kentucky University (School Profile)
521 Lancaster Ave
Richmond, KY 40475-3102
(859) 622-1000
https://coe.eku.edu/


Elizabethtown Community and Technical College*
600 College Street Rd
Elizabethtown, KY 42701-3081
(270) 769-2371
Georgetown College
400 E College St
Georgetown, KY 40324
(502) 863-8000
www.georgetowncollege.edu
Hopkinsville Community College*
720 North Dr
Hopkinsville, KY 42241-2100
(270) 707-3700
Jefferson Community and Technical College*
109 E Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202-2005
(502) 213-4000
Kentucky Christian University
100 Academic Pky
Grayson, KY 41143-1199
(606) 474-3000
Kentucky Wesleyan College
3000 Frederica St
Owensboro, KY 42301
(270) 926-3111
Lindsey Wilson College
210 Lindsey Wilson St
Columbia, KY 42728-1223
(270) 384-2126
Midway College
512 E Stephens St
Midway, KY 40347-1120
(859) 846-4421
Morehead State University
University Blvd
Morehead, KY 40351
(606) 783-2221
Murray State University
218 Wells Hall
Murray, KY 42071-3318
(270) 809-3011
https://www.murraystate.edu/

Northern Kentucky University
Nunn Dr
Highland Heights, KY 41099
(859) 572-5100
www.nku.edu
Somerset Community College*
808 Monticello St
Somerset, KY 42501-2973
(877) 629-9722
www.somerset.kctcs.edu
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College*
700 College Rd
Cumberland, KY 40823
(606) 589-2145
www.southeast.kctcs.edu
Thomas More College
333 Thomas More Pkwy
Crestview Hills, KY 41017-3495
(859) 341-5800
www.thomasmore.edu
Transylvania University
300 N Broadway
Lexington, KY 40508-1797
(859) 233-8300
Union College
310 College St
Barbourville, KY 40906-1499
(606) 546-4151
www.unionky.edu
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0032
(859) 257-9000
http://www.uky.edu/UKHome/

University of Louisville
2301 S 3rd St
Louisville, KY 40292-0001
(502) 852-5555
http://louisville.edu/


University of the Cumberlands
6191 College Station Dr
Williamsburg, KY 40769
(606) 549-2200
www.ucumberlands.edu
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1000
(270) 745-0111
https://www.wku.edu/



An asterisk (*) denotes a two-year or certificate program in education. While a two-year degree will not qualify graduates for teacher certification, it can be a good starting point for a teaching career. To learn more about what you can do with this degree, see our guide to associate’s degrees in education.
References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Tile
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
5. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
6. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
7. National Council on Teacher Quality Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
8. US Department of Education 2018 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx