Aaron Thompson, president of the Kentucky Council on Post-Secondary Education, said the Commonwealth also currently ranks among the top states in the nation, seeing an increase in higher education enrollment. He pointed out that partnerships with colleges and universities and state investment have helped make college costs more transparent.
"Only two out of every five of our students who graduate from our public institutions are graduating with debt," Thompson emphasized.
He added that around 56% of Kentucky’s population has a higher education degree or credential, putting the state closer to its goal of reaching 60% by 2030.
Thompson noted the state is also focused on providing more resources for low-income, first-generation, and adult students. He stressed Kentucky has doubled its population of adult students, reversing decades of decline.
"It's a part of what we're doing to incentivize our campuses to get where they need to go around this population," Thompson observed. "It's also working with employers at a deep level."
According to research from The Pew Charitable Trusts, nationwide undergraduate enrollment in public and private universities peaked in 2010, right after the Great Recession, and then declined through the pandemic. The 2024-2025 academic year saw numbers increase, but largely from graduate student enrollment.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
