Iowa vs Kentucky: Scholarship Climate 2026
Which climate fits best? Iowa offers a slightly higher average award size compared to Kentucky, making it more appealing for applicants seeking larger scholarships. However, Kentucky has a greater number of grants available.
State A
Iowa
State B
Kentucky
Quick comparison
| Metric | Iowa | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Active scholarships in catalog | 39 | 52 |
| Avg. award (where known) | $2,305 | $2,551 |
| Max indexed award | $11,000 | $10,000 |
Financial Aid Overview for 2026
In 2026, Iowa presents a scholarship climate with an average award size of $2,205 and a maximum award of $11,000, distributed across 29 grants. The top universities in Iowa include the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines and the Iowa Girls' Coaches Association, each offering multiple scholarships.
Conversely, Kentucky offers an average award size of $2,131 and a maximum of $5,300, with a total of 39 grants available. Notable institutions in Kentucky include the Kentucky 4-H Foundation and the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, both providing several scholarship opportunities.
Top Scholarship Providers in Iowa
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 2 grants
- 2 grants
- 2 grants
- 1 grant
- 1 grant
Top Scholarship Providers in Kentucky
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 3 grants
- 3 grants
- 3 grants
- 3 grants
- 2 grants
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Find scholarships that fit your profile
Scholarship climate by state
Iowa
Iowa's scholarship climate is characterized by a moderate number of grants with higher average award sizes, making it suitable for applicants aiming for substantial funding.
Kentucky
Kentucky's scholarship landscape features a larger number of grants, though with lower average award sizes, appealing to a broader range of applicants.
Public reference data
Cost of living & wages
State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.
Visual comparison
Median household income
Census ACSFair market rent (2BR)
HUD monthly estimateLiving wage
Single adult, MIT modelBLS median wage
State occupational estimateIowa
Median household income
$74,077
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$967
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
20.97/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$48,540
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 23.88 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
lower indicator band
ADI band
higher indicator band
SVI counties
99
ADI counties
99
- CDC SVI county data is available for 99 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 99 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Kentucky
Median household income
$63,680
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$927
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
19.60/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$46,920
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 20.29 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
middle indicator band
ADI band
higher indicator band
SVI counties
120
ADI counties
120
- CDC SVI county data is available for 120 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 120 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.
Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.
Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.
Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.
FAQ
What is the average scholarship amount in Iowa?
How many scholarships are available in Kentucky?
Which state has higher maximum scholarship awards?
Sources and official pages
Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.
- Federal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- NCES College Navigator - government reference
- Iowa and Kentucky scholarship search reference - high-authority reference
More guides around this State vs State comparison
Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Iowa and Kentucky.
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