Kentucky Snapshot
1,553
Public Schools in Kentucky
89
Colleges in Kentucky
53.2%
Avg Completion Rate
How Kentucky compares
Kentucky
53.17%
National Average
56.52%
Kentucky's avg completion rate is 5.9% lower than the national average.
Kentucky Education Laws
Compulsory attendance, homeschool regulation, school choice programs, and per-pupil spending for Kentucky — verified against ECS, HSLDA, Ballotpedia, and NCES.
Compulsory Ages
12 years of required schooling (national avg 11.0)
Kindergarten
Entry age: 5 by Aug 1
Homeschool Regulation
Annual notice only; minimal oversight
School Choice
No statewide private-school choice program
Per-Pupil Spending
17% below national avg ($15,305)
Student-Teacher Ratio
3% above national avg (14.5)
Compulsory Education in Kentucky
Kentucky requires school attendance from age 6 through age 18 — a total of 12 years of required schooling. Kindergarten attendance is optional in Kentucky, though most districts offer K with entry age 5 by Aug 1.
Homeschool Laws in Kentucky
Kentucky falls in the low regulation tier (HSLDA classification). Annual notice only; minimal oversight.
- Notice to authorities required: Yes
- Standardized testing required: No
- Specific subjects mandated: No
Annual notification to board of education
School Choice in Kentucky
Kentucky does not currently operate a statewide private-school choice program (voucher, ESA, or tax credit scholarship).
School Spending & Class Size in Kentucky
Kentucky spends $12,702 per K-12 student annually (NCES, FY2022). 17% below national avg ($15,305). The average student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1. 3% above national avg (14.5).
How Kentucky compares to other states
Quick policy snapshot for every other state. Click any state to view its full policy page.
| State | Ages | Homeschool | Choice | Per-Pupil $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $11,314 |
| Alaska | 7–16 | None | None | $20,403 |
| Arizona | 6–16 | Low | Universal | $10,003 |
| Arkansas | 5–18 | Low | Universal | $12,520 |
| California | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $17,078 |
| Colorado | 6–17 | Low | None | $13,572 |
| Connecticut | 5–18 | Low | None | $22,769 |
| Delaware | 5–16 | Moderate | Limited | $17,277 |
| District of Columbia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $28,100 |
| Florida | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $11,763 |
| Georgia | 6–16 | Moderate | Limited | $12,350 |
| Hawaii | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $16,597 |
| Idaho | 7–16 | None | Universal | $9,557 |
| Illinois | 7–17 | None | None | $17,889 |
| Indiana | 7–18 | Low | Universal | $11,413 |
| Iowa | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $13,549 |
| Kansas | 7–18 | None | Limited | $13,768 |
| Louisiana | 7–18 | Moderate | Universal | $12,477 |
| Maine | 7–17 | Moderate | None | $18,046 |
| Maryland | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $16,018 |
| Massachusetts | 6–16 | High | None | $20,857 |
| Michigan | 6–16 | None | None | $13,715 |
| Minnesota | 7–17 | Moderate | Limited | $14,873 |
| Mississippi | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $10,030 |
| Missouri | 7–17 | None | None | $12,915 |
| Montana | 7–16 | Moderate | Limited | $13,432 |
| Nebraska | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $14,950 |
| Nevada | 7–18 | Moderate | Limited | $12,646 |
| New Hampshire | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $19,753 |
| New Jersey | 6–16 | None | Limited | $23,046 |
| New Mexico | 5–18 | Moderate | None | $12,915 |
| New York | 6–16 | High | None | $28,760 |
| North Carolina | 7–16 | Moderate | Universal | $10,413 |
| North Dakota | 7–16 | Moderate | None | $16,385 |
| Ohio | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $15,204 |
| Oklahoma | 5–18 | None | Universal | $10,430 |
| Oregon | 7–18 | Moderate | None | $14,521 |
| Pennsylvania | 8–17 | High | Limited | $19,188 |
| Rhode Island | 5–18 | High | Limited | $20,546 |
| South Carolina | 5–17 | Moderate | Limited | $12,516 |
| South Dakota | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,649 |
| Tennessee | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $11,554 |
| Texas | 6–18 | None | Universal | $11,675 |
| Utah | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $9,140 |
| Vermont | 6–16 | High | Limited | $21,656 |
| Virginia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $14,202 |
| Washington | 8–18 | Moderate | None | $15,420 |
| West Virginia | 6–17 | Moderate | Universal | $14,308 |
| Wisconsin | 6–18 | Low | Limited | $14,914 |
| Wyoming | 7–16 | Low | Universal | $18,763 |
More about Kentucky
Explore other state-specific topics to get the full picture of living in Kentucky.
FAQ
How many ZIP codes does Mubboo track in Kentucky?
Mubboo tracks 779 ZIP codes in Kentucky via the U.S. Census ZCTA basemap. Use the search box above to look up data for any specific ZIP.
How does Kentucky's average college completion rate compare nationally?
Kentucky's average college completion rate is lower the national average. See the "How Kentucky compares" callout above for the precise side-by-side comparison.
How fresh is this data?
Mubboo refreshes each data source on its native cadence — HUD Fair Market Rents annually (October), Tax Foundation tables annually, and federal datasets per their published schedules. Each page caches for 24 hours via ISR. See our methodology page for details.
Data sources: NCES Common Core of Data, College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Mubboo refreshes each source on its native cadence (HUD annually, Tax Foundation annually, etc.). See our full methodology →