Study in Kentucky

Today most good jobs require more than a high school diploma. According to one estimate, by the year 2028 there will be 19 million more jobs for educated workers than there are qualified people to fill them. Therefore, every bit of education you get after high school increases the chances you'll find a good job. With a bachelor's degree in Kentucky, you can make about $16,300 a year more than your friends with just a high school diploma. Do the math: $16,300 times a 40-year career is more than half a million dollars ($652,000 to be exact)! Even if you don't like math, you have to love that!

Kentucky's postsecondary education system offers many different options, from small, rural colleges to large research universities in urban settings. The system includes eight public universities, 16 community and technical colleges in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, and numerous independent institutions. Kentucky public and independent colleges and universities currently enroll 242,035 students.

On top of that, Kentucky is in the middle of the most dramatic economic and social transformation in its history. In 1997, the state legislature created a goal for the Commonwealth to increase the quality of life in the state to the national average by 2020 by increasing the education levels of Kentuckians. As state leaders recognized, college graduates earn more, are healthier, create a more robust economy, and enjoy a higher quality of life.

Charged with leading this effort, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education developed a plan to double the number of bachelor degree holders from 400,000 in 2000 to 800,000 in 2020. Kentucky's Double the Numbers plan includes five statewide strategies as well as a regional approach that sets targets for each strategy in nine regions across the state. Reaching the goal will require a coordinated effort from education and business partners in every region of the state. While this effort will not be easy, it is critical to the future of Kentucky, and all Kentuckians will feel the benefits.

One thing's for sure- Kentucky colleges and universities want you! No matter how unsure you feel taking the first step toward going to college, every single one after that will be a little easier. Kentucky offers great resources to help you explore your options, find the right school, and succeed in college.

Editorial provided by Kimberly Millerd, Senior Associate for Communications, Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.