Kentucky graduates leave state for higher-paying technical roles

A report from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) indicates that many of the state’s highly skilled technical graduates are leaving Kentucky to pursue higher-paying opportunities elsewhere.

Computer science graduates who move out of the state earn a median wage of $74,222 one year after graduation, compared to $52,187 for those staying in Kentucky—a difference exceeding $22,000. Similarly, information systems graduates earn approximately $11,000 more when working outside the state.

The CPE found that while the state retains 92 to 93 percent of certificate, diploma, and associate-degree graduates, retention rates drop for higher degrees, falling to roughly 82 percent for bachelor’s and master’s graduates and 75 percent for doctoral graduates. While Kentucky retains graduates well in education, healthcare, and manufacturing, computing and analytics sectors remain a primary concern.

To address this, the report recommends expanding competitive jobs in high-demand fields like engineering and computer science, connecting students with employers prior to graduation, and utilizing service-linked scholarship programs to encourage local employment.