by our College Data Analytics Team
[Medicine](/majors/health-care-professions/medicine/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for medicine students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in medicine, balancing cost against outcomes.
Pikeville College tops our 2026 list of the best value medicine schools in Kentucky. Located in the town of Pikeville, Pikeville College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $24,850. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $22,966. Medicine graduates of Pikeville College earn a median of $61,506 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,966 median debt.
University Of Kentucky came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value medicine schools. University Of Kentucky is a very large public school located in the city of Lexington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Students borrow a median of $24,094 to complete the medicine program here. Medicine graduates of University Of Kentucky earn a median of $62,460 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,094 median debt. University Of Kentucky admits about 93% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Louisville earned it the #3 place for medicine. Set in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,136, while out-of-state students pay about $29,482. Medicine graduates carry a median of $21,910 in student loans. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from University Of Louisville generally make around $61,929. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
1
2
3
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.