Bardstown, Kentucky has a population of about 13,673. The city’s median household income is $49,781 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 24.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited engineering programs within 100 miles of Bardstown, with tuition ranging from $4,706 to $13,281 per year. In the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $138,190 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer engineering programs. Distances are calculated from Bardstown city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown Community and Technical College | Elizabethtown, KY | 24.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Sullivan University | Louisville, KY | 29.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of Louisville | Louisville, KY | 32.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Jefferson Community and Technical College | Louisville, KY | 33.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Bluegrass Community and Technical College | Lexington, KY | 53.8 mi | $4,706 - $13,281 | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Kentucky schools on the Kentucky engineering page.
Bardstown is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area (BLS area code 31140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $103,410 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $111,074 |
| Electrical Engineer | $99,370 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $106,735 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $99,090 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $106,434 |
| Chemical Engineer | $107,370 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $115,328 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $117,660 | KY statewide | $126,380 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $104,790 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $112,556 |
| Environmental Engineer | $103,400 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $111,063 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $138,190 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $148,432 |
Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,673 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $49,781 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 24.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 93.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Nelson County | 27 workers, 15 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory lists 5 engineering programs within 100 miles of Bardstown. The closest is Elizabethtown Community and Technical College in Elizabethtown, KY (24.7 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Bluegrass Community and Technical College (53.8 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Bardstown are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($138,190), Aerospace Engineer ($117,660), Chemical Engineer ($107,370). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Elizabethtown, KY is 24.4 miles from Bardstown and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Bardstown’s median household income of $49,781 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bardstown while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Return to Best Online Engineering Programs in Kentucky (2026)