University of Louisville
Louisville, KY
79.4%
Acceptance Rate
$13,136
Avg Cost (In-State)
$29,482
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
61%
Graduation Rate
14,727
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
February 15
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$50
Interview
Not required
Essays: Personal essay required through Common App or Coalition App
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$46,571
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$53,899
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
61%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $69,027 | $78,902 | 333 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $38,219 | $55,636 | 246 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | $33,241 | $53,496 | 195 |
| Marketing. | $47,704 | $68,074 | 175 |
| Psychology, General. | $30,416 | $51,387 | 154 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. | $56,188 | $74,873 | 140 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | $38,728 | $57,399 | 137 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | $41,672 | $47,190 | 112 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES)
~$10k valueKentucky awards $125-$500 per year of high school based on your annual GPA, stackable for up to ~$2,500/year of college money. Bonus for AP scores.
Who it helps: Kentucky students attending any KY 2- or 4-year college.
How to use: Nothing to apply for — your HS reports your GPA to KHEAA each year. Check your KHEAA account to verify amount before college.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Western Kentucky University Cherry Presidential Scholarship
Full tuition + room/board + study abroad
universityTop WKU freshmen via competitive process; combines academic + leadership.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Eastern Kentucky University Scholars Program
$2,000-$10,000/year
universityTop EKU Honors program admits via tiered grid.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Berea College Tuition Promise Scholarship
Full tuition (no tuition charged to any student)
universityAll admitted Berea students; KY college with no-tuition model funded by endowment.
Deadline: Apply with admission
Learn more ↗College Access Program (CAP) Grant
Up to $2,200/year
stateKY residents with significant financial need (Pell-eligible) attending KY colleges.
Deadline: FAFSA by March 1
Learn more ↗Kentucky Tuition Grant
Up to $3,400/year
stateKY residents at KY private nonprofit colleges with financial need.
Deadline: FAFSA by March 1
Learn more ↗Kentucky Work Ready Scholarship
Tuition + fees in high-demand fields
stateKY residents at KCTCS or other 2-year programs in selected workforce sectors.
Deadline: Rolling
Learn more ↗University of Kentucky Presidential Scholarship
Up to full tuition + $1,000/year stipend
universityTop UK incoming freshmen with ACT 28+ + 3.5 GPA.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Berea College Tuition Promise (No Tuition Charged)
Full tuition (no tuition charged to any student)
universityAll admitted Berea students; KY college with unique no-tuition model funded by endowment.
Deadline: Apply with admission
Learn more ↗Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) additional
Up to $2,500/year
stateKY HS seniors with academic record; auto-calculated per year of HS.
Deadline: Auto-determined
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 79.4% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
79.41%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
33.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
30.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
80.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
21.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
23.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
80.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
61.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
79.4% acceptance
Both admit around 79% of applicants, with 13k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View, TX
79.3% acceptance
Both admit around 79% of applicants, with 9k undergrads and a r campus — a close selectivity match.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
79.6% acceptance
Both admit around 80% of applicants, with 24k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC
81.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (82% vs 79%) but out-of-state cost runs $9k — meaningfully less than $29k.
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN
86.2% acceptance
Similar selectivity (86% vs 79%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $29k.
Arkansas State University
Jonesboro, AR
82.3% acceptance
Similar selectivity (82% vs 79%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $29k.
Reaches above this college
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, LA
14% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but more selective (14% vs 79%) — a stretch target if University of Louisville is already on your list.
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
12.9% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but more selective (13% vs 79%) — a stretch target if University of Louisville is already on your list.
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA
11% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but more selective (11% vs 79%) — a stretch target if University of Louisville is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
University of Houston-Downtown
Houston, TX
90% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but higher admit rate (90% vs 79%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA
90.4% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but higher admit rate (90% vs 79%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
92.6% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but higher admit rate (93% vs 79%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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