Murray State University
Murray State University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Murray State University Featured Rankings
- #2 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Kentucky
- #3 Online Bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Agriculture
- #3 Best Online Associate Degree Programs in Kentucky
- #4 Online Bachelor’s in Network Administration
- #4 Best Online MBA in Healthcare Management
- #5 Best Online MBAs Kentucky
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Kentucky
- #5 The Best Online English PhD Degree Programs Ranked in 2026
- #6 Best Public Colleges in Kentucky
- #6 Kentucky's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #6 Kentucky's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #6 Most Affordable Colleges in Kentucky
- #7 Most Affordable Online PhD in English Doctorate Degree Programs in 2026
- #9 Best Colleges in Kentucky 2026
- #10 Online Bachelor’s in Human Services
- #10 Online Master’s in English
- #11 Online Master’s in Healthcare Administration
- #11 Online Master's in Economics
- #12 Most Affordable Online PhD of Nursing (DNP) Degree Programs
- #14 Online Associate in General Studies
- #15 20 Fastest Accelerated Online PhD in English Doctorate Programs 2026
- #18 Online Master’s in Educational Administration
- #18 Online Associate in Business Administration
About Murray State University
According to Wikipedia, Murray State University is a public university in Murray, Kentucky. In addition to the main campus in Calloway County in southwestern Kentucky, Murray State operates extended campuses offering upper-level and graduate courses in Paducah, Hopkinsville, Madisonville, and Henderson.
Murray State University's Online Degrees
BS in Agricultural Science
Degree Concentrations
- Agribusiness
- Agriscience Technology
- Required Credits: 169
- Format: Fully online
MS in Career and Technical Education
- Required Credits: 30
- Format: Fully online
MA in English
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
Doctor of Arts in English Pedagogy
Degree Concentrations
- Language
- Literacy
- Literature
- or Writing
- Language
- Literacy
- Literature
- or Writing
- Required Credits: 42
- Format: Fully online
MS in Human Development and Leadership
Degree Concentrations
- Criminal Justice
- Educational Administration (non-certification)
- Educational Data Management and Analytics
- Environmental Education (non-certification)
- Industrial Supervision
- Instructional Development (non-certification)
- Intercultural Communications
- Leadership Development
- Non-Profit Leadership
- Public Administration
- Required Credits: 33
- Format: Fully online
AA in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Computer Information Systems
- Required Credits: 44
- Format: Fully online
MBA in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Business Analytics
- Cybersecurity
- Economic Development
- Finance
- Global Communications
- Healthcare Administration
- Marketing
- Healthcare Administration
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 12-18 months
- Format: Fully online
BS in Cybersecurity and Network Management
Degree Concentrations
- Cybersecurity
- Wireless Communications
- Network and Systems Administration
- Required Credits: 102-104
- Format: Fully online
MPA in Public Administration
Degree Concentrations
- General
- Economic Development
- Healthcare Administration
- Public and Community Health
- Public Management
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 12 months
- Format: Fully online
MS in Cybersecurity Management
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 12-18 months
- Format: Fully online
AA in Logistics & Supply Chain Management
- Required Credits: 73
- Format: Fully online
MS in Information Systems
Degree Concentrations
- Business Analytics
- Required Credits: 30
- Format: Fully online
EdD in P-20 and Community Leadership
Degree Concentrations
- STEM Leadership
- pK-12 Leadership
- Postsecondary Leadership
- Agriculture Education
- Required Credits: 30
- Format: Fully online
MS in Mass Communications
Degree Concentrations
- Public Relations
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 12-18 months
- Format: Fully online
MS in Economic Development
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 10-12 months
- Format: Fully online
MA in Organizational Communication and Leadership
- Required Credits: 30
- Format: Fully online
DNP in Nursing Practice
Degree Concentrations
- Accredited Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Required Credits: 32
- Format: Fully online
MS in Organizational Communication and Leadership
- Required Credits: 33
- Format: Fully online
MS in Nutrition
Degree Concentrations
- Dietetic Internship
- Non Internship
- Required Credits: 33
- Format: Fully online
MS in Occupational Safety and Health
- Required Credits: 30
- Format: Fully online
BS in Public and Community Health
- Required Credits: 123
- Completion Time: 4 years
- Format: Fully online
MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
- Required Credits: 33
- Format: Fully online
Murray State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11,038 | 86% | 76% | 60% | 1055 | 22 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Murray State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $10,320 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $7,357 |
| 30K - 48K | $4,208 |
| 48K - 75K | $4,615 |
| 75K - 110K | $10,672 |
| 110K+ | $13,409 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Murray State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Murray State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $48,482 a year, and 91% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Murray State University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 11,887 | 9,121 | 2,766 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Murray State University?
Murray State University is located at 218 Wells Hall, Murray, KY 42071-3318.
How Safe is Murray State University?
Relative to its enrollment, Murray State University has a violent crime rate of 0.06% and a property crime rate of 0.09%. Murray has a violent crime rate of 0.12% and a property crime rate of 1.45%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Murray State University Known For?
Murray State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Earth Sciences
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Psychology
- History
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Economics
- Education
- Physics
- Business
- Literature
- Nursing
- Political Science
- Communications
- Computer Science
- Medical
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Criminal Justice
Murray State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Murray State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Murray State University ranks #391 in the U.S. and #1650 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesMurray State University ranks #446 in the U.S. and #2210 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesMurray State University ranks #450 in the U.S. and #1895 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesMurray State University ranks #456 in the U.S. and #1170 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesMurray State University ranks #463 in the U.S. and #1335 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesMurray State University ranks #481 in the U.S. and #2866 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesMurray State University ranks #510 in the U.S. and #2084 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesMurray State University ranks #539 in the U.S. and #3232 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesMurray State University ranks #553 in the U.S. and #2442 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesMurray State University ranks #554 in the U.S. and #2451 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesMurray State University ranks #618 in the U.S. and #2300 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesMurray State University ranks #640 in the U.S. and #1944 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesMurray State University ranks #660 in the U.S. and #1704 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesMurray State University ranks #669 in the U.S. and #2870 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesMurray State University ranks #700 in the U.S. and #2616 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesMurray State University ranks #735 in the U.S. and #3301 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesMurray State University ranks #906 in the U.S. and #3183 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesMurray State University ranks #1044 in the U.S. and #3402 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesMurray State University ranks #1271 in the U.S. and #4193 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesMurray State University ranks #2007 in the U.S. and #3981 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesWho Are Murray State University's Most Influential Alumni?
Murray State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Psychology, History, and Earth Sciences. Here are some of Murray State University's most famous alumni:
- Joe Staton
- An Illustrator.
- Jeff Easley
- An American artist.
- David L. Armstrong
- An American mayor and judge .
- Ja Morant
- An American basketball player.
- Popeye Jones
- An American basketball player.
- Chris Thile
- An American musician and radio personality.
- Terry Yates
- An American biologist .
- Jim Varney
- An American actor and comedian .
- Vicki Funk
- An American botanist for the National Museum of Natural History .
- W. Earl Brown
- An American actor.
- Kirk Rueter
- An American baseball player.
- Bill Cunningham
- An American judge.
