Quad

Murray State University

Murray, KYQuad's selectivityOpen
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

Murray State admits about 9 in 10 applicants (86%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 33% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

86%

86%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

10,486

Admitted

8,984

Yield

17%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.57

SAT middle 50%

940–1170

8001600
ACT middle 50%

19–26

1836
Applications +120% since fall 2014 · admit rate 80% → 86%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 6,688 undergrads, where 33% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

6.7K

undergrads · larger than 83% of colleges

Diversity index

0.38

Pell Grant

33%

about the median

First generation

34%

about the median

Distant townNCAA D-I FCS · Missouri Valley ConferenceROTCStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.32 → 0.38 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other (9% of graduates). 17 students for every faculty member, more than at 78% of colleges. 82% of faculty are full-time. Spends $10,232 a year on instruction per student.

17 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 78% of colleges

Most popular major

Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other

9% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians

$87.6K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

82%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$10.2K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $16,567 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $7.7K less than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $10,182 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $26,919 in-state / $36,663 out-of-state.

46%

$16.6K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $7.7K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$26,919 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Aid generosity

Generous

grants cover 46% of full price

Federal loans

35%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −18% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $44,737 ten years after enrolling, more than at 23% of colleges; 61% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.5 years of that salary.

61%

61%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$44.7K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$20.5K

≈ $217/month for 10 years

Retention

76%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 52% → 61% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 2% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 18%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 120% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 80% to 86%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −18% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +120%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 80% → 86%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.32 → 0.38

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

The University of Tennessee-Martin

88% admit · SAT 1090 · 4.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Southeast
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Indiana University-Southeast

84% admit · SAT 1075 · 3.2K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresAlso public
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Vermont State University

82% admit · 3.6K undergrads

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Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

87% admit · 4.1K undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso public
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    Murray State University Common Data Set 2021–22

    Murray State University · Fall 2021; 2020–21; 2021–22; Fall 2022 entrants; Fall 2022 cycle; Class of 2021 · retrieved 2026-10-05

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    Murray State University (2026)

    Murray State University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 157401 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything