Best Physics Schools Near Ashland, KY (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Ashland, Kentucky has 4 accredited schools offering physics programs. Ashland has a population of about 21,405. Median household income is $52,199 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 24.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kentucky, the top-earning physics-related role is Physicists at a median $180,910 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Ashland

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Ashland, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ashland city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Ashland. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Morehead State University

Morehead, KY 46.7 miles from Ashland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,197
Avg net price $9,793/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, KY 102.8 miles from Ashland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
52.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,795
Avg net price $11,040/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,320
Out‑of‑state$21,230
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Transylvania University

Lexington, KY 104.1 miles from Ashland
  • 4 year
56.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,705
Avg net price $21,913/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Georgetown College

Georgetown, KY 104.9 miles from Ashland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
50.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,074
Avg net price $14,095/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,840
Out‑of‑state$42,840
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, KY 105.6 miles from Ashland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,220
Avg net price $8,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Berea College

Berea, KY 108.7 miles from Ashland
  • 4 year
55.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,150
Avg net price $6,106/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY 110.8 miles from Ashland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,384
Avg net price $21,835/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Centre College

Danville, KY 129.0 miles from Ashland
  • 4 year
69.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,240
Avg net price $20,781/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Kentucky schools on the Kentucky physics page.

Physics Wages Near Ashland

Ashland is part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area (BLS area code 26580). 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)
Physicists $180,910 KY statewide $204,649
Biochemists and Biophysicists $74,710 KY statewide $84,514
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $80,270 KY statewide $90,803
Mathematicians N/A KY statewide –
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $103,240 KY statewide $116,787
Engineers, All Other $95,140 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $107,624
Software Developers $110,780 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $125,317
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $61,300 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $69,344

Source: BLS, May 2025 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.

Ashland at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 21,405 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $52,199 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 24.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Ashland-Area Cities With Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Ashland, KY?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering physics programs near Ashland. The closest is Marshall University in Huntington, WV (12.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Marietta College (92.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles near Ashland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles near Ashland are: Physicists ($180,910), Software Developers ($110,780), Atmospheric and Space Scientists ($103,240). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Huntington instead of Ashland?

Huntington, WV is 11.9 miles from Ashland and has its own set of local physics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ashland an affordable place to study physics?

Ashland’s median household income of $52,199 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ashland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

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.

Learn More About Physics Programs

Other Programs Available in Ashland

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ashland:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Physics Schools in Kentucky: Online Programs (2026)