Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
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.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
Men and women were admitted at similar rates (85% and 86%).
$40 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Yield
17% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Where you stand
How Murray State reads a record
, GPA, and class rank are all very important; tests are considered. 42% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher. Scores are optional. 19% of first-years sent an SAT and 82% an ACT. Of the 71% whose high school reported a rank, 26% were in the top tenth. Recommends 4 years of math and science. See the years by subject
What they look at
- High school GPA
- Required
- High school record
- Required
- Class rank
- Considered
- College-prep program
- Required
- Recommendations
- Not considered
- Essay
- Not considered
- Legacy status
- Not considered
- Work experience
- Not considered
- Demonstration of competencies
- Not considered
- English proficiency test
- Required
- Other tests
- Not considered
Transferring in
76% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 86% of first-year applicants
1,266 applied · 961 admitted
Transfers may start in the fall, winter, spring, and summer.
Minimum college GPA: 2.0
Minimum high school GPA: 3.0
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: decisions on a rolling basis
- Winter entry: decisions on a rolling basis
- Spring entry: decisions on a rolling basis
- Summer entry: decisions on a rolling basis
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Recommended for some
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Recommended for some
- Interview
- Recommended for some
- Standardized test scores
- Recommended for some
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Recommended for some
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Decisions are sent on a rolling basis.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1, or within a set number of weeks if admitted later.
- The housing deposit is refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: 1 Year.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Requires a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Math | 4 |
| Science | 4 |
| Total | 8* |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science. *Added up from the subjects listed; the college didn't give a total.
Recent change: Stopped considering legacy status in fall 2024.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2021 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.57
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
- 4.015%
- 3.75–3.9927%
- 3.50–3.7420%
- 3.25–3.4916%
- 3.00–3.2412%
- below 3.010%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.25–3.99.
All nine bands
| GPA | Sent test scores |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 15.0% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 27.0% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 20.0% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 16.0% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 12.0% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 8.0% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 2.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
26% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 51% in the top quarter, of the 71% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Murray State University Common Data Set 2021–22, Fall 2021About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1055 on the SAT, 115 points below the median for colleges that report scores.
Optional
Scores are considered if you send them. For students who entered in fall 2024.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
submitted ACT
At least half of students submitted a score, so the ranges are reasonably representative.
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Murray State University Common Data Set 2021–22, Fall 2021;Murray State University Common Data Set 2021–22, 2021–22;Murray State University Common Data Set 2021–22, Fall 2022 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)