Murray State University

Public · Moderately Selective · KY

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationKY · South

SettingRural

Undergrads6,688

Student:faculty17:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate48.7%

6-yr grad rate61.3%

Drop-out rate24.4%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$10k

Out-of-state tuition$20k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity21.6%

Gender diversity60.5%

International4.1%

Identity—

Overview

Murray State University is a public university in the far-western Kentucky town of Murray, a low-cost, small-town residential campus that draws students from Kentucky, Tennessee, and neighboring states.

Academics

Occupational safety and health is a genuine national niche — one of relatively few undergraduate programs of its kind in the country — alongside solid agriculture and equine science programs and a well-regarded teacher education track.

Campus & student life

The campus has a classic small-town, residential college feel, with agriculture and equine facilities extending well beyond the core campus and shaping a portion of student life around barns, arenas, and fieldwork.

Getting in

Admissions is accessible rather than highly selective, and the university has built a reputation for drawing students from outside Kentucky specifically for its safety/health and equine programs.

Worth knowing

The occupational safety and health program is a legitimate specialty worth knowing about for a student set on that field — it is not a common offering at the undergraduate level nationally.

murraystate.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate85.7%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 940–1170 · ACT 19–26

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying