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Murray State University
Murray, KY
Murray State University is a public university located in Murray, Kentucky. Founded in 1922, it offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs across various disciplines. With a strong emphasis on liberal arts education, the university provides students with a well-rounded educational experience that combines academic learning with practical skills development.
Murray State University prides itself on its student-centered approach to education. The university promotes a supportive and inclusive community, encouraging students to engage in various extracurricular activities and experiential learning opportunities. Students at Murray State benefit from the small class sizes, which enable better interaction with professors and foster a collaborative learning environment. The university also offers resources such as academic advising, career services, and research opportunities to help students achieve their academic and professional goals.
The campus of Murray State University is spread over 260 acres and features modern facilities and state-of-the-art technology. The university has several academic colleges, including the College of Business and the College of Education and Human Services, among others, offering a wide range of programs to suit different interests and career paths. Murray State's athletic teams, known as the Racers, compete in the NCAA Division I Ohio Valley Conference.
Overall, Murray State University provides a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that prepares students for success in their chosen fields. With its emphasis on academic excellence, engaged learning, and personal growth, Murray State University offers a well-rounded education that equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their careers and make meaningful contributions to their communities.
Murray State University is a public university located in Murray, KY. This academic institution uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 86%. The freshman retention rate at Murray State University is 76% and the six-year graduation rate is 63%.
Read more about what you can expect if you get into Murray State University.
Quick Facts
8,111
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
86%
Acceptance Rate
16:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
63%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
In order to improve your chances of getting admitted, you need to know as much as possible about the university's criteria for admission. Here are the most vital facts you have to know about admission at Murray State University.
According to the newest information reported, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 9,501 in 2024. Murray State University has an official test-optional admission policy but takes into consideration standardized test scores if the applicant decides to submit them. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is relatively easy to get into.
Test Scores
Out of the number of those who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 17% and ACT scores 81%. The percent of freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 9, 32 between 24-29, 43 in the range between 18-23, and 16 between 12-17.
The ACT composite average score for all the enrolled students in 2024 was 24 while the average GPA was 3.56. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Murray State University; the same goes for your ACT score.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 552 for the admitted students, while the average SAT Math score was 532.
Retention Rate
The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
As reported in 2024, the freshman retention rate for Murray State University was 76%, which is considered an above-average retention rate and is indicative of the quality of educational experience at this school.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 63%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
It is always challenging to figure out which school is best for you. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by finding out more about the student body.
Main Student Body
The overall number of students enrolled at Murray State University in 2024 was 9,857.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 35% for that year. There was a total of 8,111 those pursuing undergraduate studies, including 422 international students. The number of transfer students at this school was 485.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 2,470 male and 4,146 female full-time students in 2024. This school had 149 full-time graduate male and 350 full-time graduate female students at this school.
Student Population Diversity
Higer Education is committed to expanding the diversity of its student body and improving students' sense of inclusion and belonging. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at Murray State University.
In 2024, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 56, while the number of African American students was 405. 206 undergraduate students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 213 identified with more than one race. The school also had 1 student who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 8 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 261 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Financial Aid
Getting some financial aid in forms of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study programs can be crucial for completing your studies. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Murray State University, here are some recent data you should consider.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 900 freshmen. The average amount of financial aid given to students was $15,193.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
3,527 students secured some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Murray State University is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was 3,743. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution was $12,314,417, and state $10,800,680. The students of Murray State University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $10,269,981, and external in the amount of $4,816,542.
$9,931
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Any financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid is considered non-need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 1,029 students overall (including freshmen) at Murray State University in 2024. Institutional grants or scholarships that are not based on financial need were given to 291 full-time freshman. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $12,314,417 while the state aid is $179,638. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $18,821,948. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $5,637,130 USD.
Majors
Faculty
16:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Knowing more about a school's faculty can help you gauge the caliber of the education it can provide to you.
In 2024, this ratio at Murray State University was 16:1. That means that there were 16 times more students than teachers at this school. This school has recently reported to have 566 faculty members. This number included 267 male and 299 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at Murray State University.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Murray State University: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Check out some information about social life at Murray State University.
Its campus is 261 acres in size.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
According to recently gathered data, there are 150 open-membership organizations at Murray State University. This number includes sororities and fraternities. 16 percent of male and 15 of female students take part in in different organizations at Murray State University. The most popular student organization is MSU Student Ambassadors, followed by International Student Organization and National Panhellenic Council. Other popular organizations among the students at Murray State University are Student Government Association and Racer Band.
If you are interested in music, you can join the Murray State University band or chorus. If drama is your thing, there is a club dedicated to acting that you can join. You have a passion for media and communication? Murray State University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
Murray State University offers a number of services vital for a comfortable and safe life on campus.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. Dormitory entrances at the school are electronically operated. There is a round-the-clock security patrol. The after-hours transportation/escort service is available.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs and Women's Center are available to the students of Murray State University.
All in all, campus life at Murray State University is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Murray State University.
Career Counselling
At Murray State University, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be a great asset for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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Murray State University is located in Murray, KY.
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Murray State University offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for Murray State University is 86%.
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The most recent reported freshman retention rate for Murray State University is 76%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.