The University of Cincinnati (UC) at Cincinnati, Ohio, is a big public research university with around 47,000 students. It is renowned nationally for its cooperative education (co-op) program that combines paid work experience with academics, particularly in Engineering, Business, and Design. Admissions are relatively selective, with an acceptance rate of around 85%. UC's six-year graduation rate is around 71%, and graduates earn average starting salaries of USD $52,000–57,000 (INR 44–48 lakhs) per year.
The University of Kentucky (UKY), situated in Lexington, Kentucky, is the state's flagship university and public research university with around 31,000 students. It is especially robust in schools like Agriculture, Pharmacy, Engineering, Business, and Health Sciences. Admissions are a bit more selective than UC with an acceptance rate of close to 92%. The six-year graduation percentage is close to 66%, and UKY graduates have average beginning salaries of USD $49,000–54,000 (INR 41–45 lakhs) per annum.
| University of Cincinnati | University of Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 5.5 Out of 10 | 4.3 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 721 QS World University 2026 # 246 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 761 QS World University 2025 | # 401 Times Higher Education 2026 # 781 QS World University 2026 # 321 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 106 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 251 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 71 for Law by US News 2025 | # 97 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 401 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 68 for Law by US News 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -106 PG Programs -64 | UG Programs -83 PG Programs -59 Doctorate Programs -19 |
| Acceptance Rate | 85.0 % | 92.4 % |
| Exam Score | Duolingo-110 IELTS-6.5 PTE-54 TOEFL-80 | IELTS-6 SAT-1080 TOEFL-71 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 27472 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 13224 [For PG Program] | Average Tuition Fees 29050 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 30126.25 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 54608 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Top recruiters: General Electric (GE) Aviation, University of Cincinnati, General Electric Co., The Kroger Company, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Center Average Salaries are listed below :
| Some of the programs and the average salary are as follows: Bachelor of Science: $77,000 Bachelor (Other): $65,000 Bachelor of Arts: $58,000 Some of the top employers of the university graduates are: PwC, Ernst & Young, Fidelity Investments, University of Kentucky, Amazon, Dell Technologies, Arrive Logistics, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co, Kroger, UK HealthCare etc. |
| application requirements | Academic transcripts; UC Writing Supplement; 2-3 LORs; Resume; Writing Samples/ Essays/ SOPs; Standardized test scores; Proof of English language proficiency; Compulsory health screening; Additional requirements (art & other graphic work, work experiences, research proposals, etc.) | Submit official transcripts, Submit English language requirements, Check program specific requirements |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 8.1/10 Read 14 reviews | 8.4/10 Read 4 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 201 for Business by QS World University 2026 # 73 for Business by US News 2025 # 64 for Business by Bloomberg 2024 | # 61 for Business by US News 2025 # 501 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 551 for Business by QS World University 2024 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 110/160GMAT - 640/800IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 54/90TOEFL - 80/120 | GMAT - 630/800GRE - 311/340IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 79/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Jan 15, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Mar 15, 2026 (Final Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) | Jan 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For Summer 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | University of Cincinnati | University of Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1819 | 1865 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 19:1:1 | 17:1 |
| Male:Female | 45% Male, 0% Female | 45% Male, 55% Female |
| Location Facts | Uptown Campus includes- the West (main campus), Medical, and Victory Parkway campuses & branch campuses in Blue Ash and Clermont; Built on 473 acres of land; Main campus- located close to the downtown area of Cincinnati | The University of Kentucky is located in the city of Lexington, which is about 80 miles south of Cincinnati and 200 miles northeast of Nashville. |
| Library | 13 Library locations; Holdings: 4.4 million volumes; 1.7 million ebooks; Use: 1.84 million annual visitors; 88,000 annual items circulated; 34,000 annual reference transactions; 2.4million full-text article downloads annually. | UK Libraries’ mission is to ignite the human drive to discover, create, and connect by facilitating access to information, empowering learners, and collaborating with the communities to advance knowledge, enhance scholarship, and preserve the history and culture of the Commonwealth. |
| Campus Life | 550 student organizations; Cincinnati’s Campus Recreation Center (200,000 square feet of recreation space); 50-meter x 25-yard lap pool; 6-court gymnasium, Fitness Floor & Climbing Walls; Richard E. Lindner Varsity Village; The News Record (student newspaper); UCast (TV Station); 48-hour film festival. | The University of Kentucky provides you with a world-class education, filled with the possibility of new ideas and learning experiences that will prepare you for the future. But life on campus also offers plenty of other experiences beyond what takes place solely in a classroom. With more than 500 student organizations, there's an activity for you at the University of Kentucky. Join an intramural athletic team, even if you’re not an athlete. Give back through the Center for Community Outreach and its programs like DanceBlue, a 24 hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon to raise money for the DanceBlue Kentucky Children’s Hospital Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic and cancer research. UK's Living Learning Program allows you to live and study subjects and topics with other students right in your residence hall. Outside your room, you can explore dozens of great dining options ranging from home-cooking to international fare. And you can stay in shape at one of the two state-of-the-art student fitness centers – Alumni Gym, located in the Gatton Student Center, or the Johnson Center; both feature the latest workout equipment, group fitness classes, and more all within walking distance of your residence hall. |
| Hostel | - | #Housing & Food (with dependents) - $13070 #Housing & Food - $15912 #Housing & Food (without dependents) - $16016 #Housing & Food (with Parents) - $9610 |
| Famous Alumni | 300,000 living alumni; Miller Huggins (American professional baseball player), George Clooney (American actor), Oscar Robertson (American basketball player), Charles Keating (American athlete), Vinod Dham (Engineer, known as 'Father of the Pentium Chip' for his contribution to the development of Intel's Pentium microprocessor); William Howard Taft (27th U.S. President & 10th Chief Justice of USA), Paul Polman (Unilever CEO); Mike Ullman (Starbucks Chairman). | Don Ball, Founder of Ball Homes Wendell Cherry, Founder of Humana Joe Craft, CEO of Alliance Resource Partners, a large coal producer, and philanthropist Carol Martin "Bill" Gatton, Businessman and major contributor to the university Rodney McMullen, CEO of The Kroger Company Chris T. Sullivan, Founder of Outback Steakhouse |
| City Life | Cincinnati- home to nine Fortune 500 companies; Famous attractions: Cincinnati USA (Visitor's Bureau), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Findlay Market, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati Art Museum, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Arts Association, Over-the-Rhine District, Newport Aquarium, Kings Island; Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (Dec 2019). | Lexington blends influences from the South and Midwest to create a cultural identity all its own. A college town, Lexington is home to the University of Kentucky, which is the city's largest school and employer. The university plays an important role in the city by providing a constant influx of young, educated people into the culture and economy. Lexington is serious about college basketball. Residents support the University of Kentucky Wildcats with a fervor that surpasses the fan base of some professional teams. Kentucky fans camp out for tickets to "Big Blue Madness," the official kickoff to the season, which features an exhibition-style team scrimmage. When UK is playing, streets and restaurants are deserted, and when they win a national championship, the downtown streets look like New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Lexington's population is growing, which has contributed to a slow increase in the cost of living. Despite this, Lexington is still very affordable compared with other metro areas around the country. Due to the city's large college population, rental housing is abundant and inexpensive. Whether renting or purchasing a home, your dollar will go further in Lexington than in many other U.S. cities. However, like with many other metro areas in the country, housing prices in Lexington have seen an increase in recent years. |
| Weather |
University of Cincinnati vs University of Kentucky
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
The University of Cincinnati (UC) is ranked approximately 721-730 in QS 2026 with excellent programs in Architecture, Engineering, Design, Music, Business, and Health Sciences. The University of Kentucky (UKY) is ranked approximately 781-790 in QS 2026 with distinguished strengths in Medicine, Pharmacy, Agriculture, Engineering, and Business.
General Information
UC, established in 1819, is a public research university situated in Cincinnati, Ohio, with more than 47,000 students. It belongs to the elite Carnegie R1 universities and has a strong urban campus with deep industry alliances. The University of Kentucky, established in 1865, is the state's flagship public research university in Lexington, Kentucky, with a student enrollment of around 32,000. It is key to research and service within the state, notably in healthcare and agriculture.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
The University of Cincinnati has an acceptance rate of 85%, providing a mix of accessibility and selectivity with competitive admissions in engineering, business, and design majors. The University of Kentucky accepts approximately 92% of applicants, so it is widely accessible but competitive in health sciences, law, and engineering.
Research Impact & Facilities
UC is known for innovative research and cooperative education with high levels of funding in medicine, aerospace, and engineering. It also houses a highly regarded College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). The University of Kentucky leads the way in healthcare research through the UK Medical Center, plus agriculture, energy, and engineering research and is the anchor institution for state-level innovation.
Cost & Financial Aid
Both charge comparable tuition (~$12,000–14,000 annually for in-state undergrads; ~$30,000–33,000 for out-of-state). UC has strong co-op programs that earn a salary while defraying cost. UKY has a variety of scholarships available, such as the Singletary and Patterson scholarships, particularly for high-achieving students.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
UC students are advantaged by its co-op program, which places them in top firms such as P&G, GE Aviation, and Kroger, leading to high employability. UKY students shine in the fields of medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, business, and engineering, having strong local impact and a strong alumni base within Kentucky.
