CPE report: Pay gap is pulling Kentucky’s computer science graduates out of state

July 28, 2026

Kentucky is successfully producing graduates for its workforce, but many of the state’s most highly skilled technical graduates are leaving for better-paying opportunities elsewhere, according to a new policy brief from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

The report recommends that Kentucky focus graduate-retention efforts on high-demand fields such as computer science, information systems and engineering by expanding competitive jobs, connecting students with employers before graduation and adapting service-linked scholarship programs to encourage graduates to work in the Commonwealth.

Computer science graduates who leave Kentucky earn median wages of $74,222 one year after completing their degrees, compared with $52,187 for those employed in the state — a difference of more than $22,000. Information systems graduates working outside Kentucky earn approximately $11,000 more.

“Kentucky has made significant progress in producing the educated and skilled workforce our economy needs,” said CPE President Aaron Thompson. “Now we must ensure more graduates can find competitive, rewarding careers here. Retaining talent requires strong partnerships among colleges, employers, policymakers and communities to create clear pathways from the classroom to Kentucky workplaces.”

The report found that Kentucky retains approximately 92% to 93% of certificate, diploma and associate-degree graduates one year after completion. Retention falls to about 82% for bachelor’s- and master’s-degree graduates and 75% for doctoral graduates.

"Kentucky retains graduates particularly well in education, health care, manufacturing-related programs and the skilled trades," said Chris Ledford, CPE's Director of Data and Advanced Analytics, and the lead research on the policy brief. "Computing and analytics remain the most significant concern among Kentucky’s priority workforce sectors."

The analysis also recommends considering the total number of graduates leaving, not only each program’s retention rate. Business and commerce programs account for approximately 2,070 graduates working outside Kentucky one year after completion, followed by business administration with about 1,630. Even programs with strong retention rates can lose substantial numbers because they produce large graduating classes.

Additional recommendations include expanding internships, co-ops and apprenticeships; tying financial support to several years of Kentucky employment; protecting program capacity in fields with strong retention; and regularly reporting graduate outcomes by academic program.

The report can be accessed on the Council's website: https://cpe.ky.gov/data/reports/2026kygraduatemigrationreport.pdf.