By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
The University of Kentucky has announced that in 2025-26 the school soared past 10,000 degrees and certificates awarded in one academic year for the first time, with nearly 11,230.
School officials say they believe the numbers reflected in the 15 percent increase from last year illustrate the institution’s continuing growth, its progress in helping more students graduate on time and its commitment to meeting the state’s workforce needs.
“Our enduring mission is to advance Kentucky in everything that we do,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “There is no more tangible or important expression of how we accomplish that mission than in our commitment to educate and prepare more and more students to meet the state’s workforce needs. We are aligned with the Kentucky’s priorities and are quickly making progress in strategically growing to create and sustain our state’s economy with a skilled workforce — students who are prepared for careers and lives of meaning and purpose.”
According to the university, UK’s enrollment numbers will be final in October; but the preliminary numbers, a record 39,541, up three percent over the previous year and the first time over 39,000 students, show a trajectory of growth paired with continued success in helping a record number of students graduate within six years.
First-time, first-year student enrollment is at more than 6,700 students, roughly the same as last year by design. More than 61 percent of those students come from Kentucky, which is on par with the last several years.
UK’s retention and graduation rates also continued their impressive ascent. First-to-second-year retention is up one percentage point from the year prior at 86%; six-year graduation rates are at more than 73% for the first time — placing UK among the Top 100 four-year institutions in the country, according to the most recent numbers available.
Four-year graduation rates are at nearly 63%, more than 30 percentage points higher than about a decade and a half ago.