University of Kentucky vs. University of Louisville
A side-by-side comparison of Kentucky and Louisville — acceptance rates (93.5% vs. 79%), SAT scores (1058–1270 vs. 1010–1230), tuition, financial aid, and majors, drawn from each school's official Common Data Set.
Want to compare other schools? Open the interactive comparison tool →
Acceptance rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly action
Kentucky offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.
Standardized tests
Kentucky is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class rank
Where Kentucky's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 26.4% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Kentucky does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Kentucky weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Kentucky's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Acceptance rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly admissions
Louisville does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.
Standardized tests
Louisville is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class rank
Where Louisville's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 33.4% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Louisville does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Louisville weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Louisville's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Writing your Kentucky or Louisville application essay?
Paste your draft and get specific, line-by-line feedback on what is and isn't landing — scored against the rubrics admissions readers use.
Kentucky vs. Louisville: frequently asked questions
Louisville is more selective: it admits about 79% of applicants, compared with 93.5% at Kentucky. Both are competitive, and your odds depend on far more than the overall rate.
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1058–1270 at Kentucky and 1010–1230 at Louisville on the SAT. Treat the ranges as a benchmark — a score inside or above a school's range keeps you competitive there.
Louisville has the lower published price for out-of-state students — $30,288 in tuition and fees versus $35,846 at Kentucky, a gap of about $5,558 a year before financial aid.
Kentucky graduates a higher share of its students within six years — 72% versus 61% at Louisville.
Kentucky. Its Common Data Set rates the application essay very important, against considered at Louisville, so the same draft carries more weight at Kentucky. Both still read essays as part of a full application review.
Source: University of Kentucky Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-08-20. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Kentucky. Banner photo by Daderot, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0).
Source: University of Louisville Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-11. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Louisville. Banner photo by Censusdata, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).