For more than three-quarters of a century, Murray State University has served students from the region, the nation, and the world. Founded in 1922, the university has grown from an enrollment of 202 students to over 10,000 today. Students receive individual attention from a teaching faculty which numbers over four hundred. Murray State University has consistently been ranked as a leading university in U.S. News & World Report’s annual publication, America’s Best Colleges for 15 years. Murray State is also considered a “Best Deal” by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and a “Hidden Treasure” by Kaplan, Inc. Murray State University also outranks all Kentucky public universities in graduate and alumni satisfaction according to a Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education survey
Recognition of the quality of Murray State programs is reflected in accreditations. Murray State University has been continuously accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) since 1928. Program accreditations have also been attained in art, chemistry, civil engineering technology programs, communication disorders, counseling, dietetics, engineering physics, journalism and mass communications, music, nursing, occupational safety and health, school administration, social work, speech-language pathology, teacher education, and veterinary technology, as well as several business programs.
Strategic Attributes
We offer relevant undergraduate and graduate degree programs with core studies in the liberal arts and sciences, leading to degrees from certificates to advanced practice doctorates that prepare students for success. Through effective and creative teaching, both in traditional formats and in an online environment; the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills to real-world situations, and academic and student support services, our quality faculty and staff foster student growth in knowledge, critical inquiry, and innovation thinking.
As a public comprehensive university dedicated to diversity, global awareness, and intellectual curiosity, we actively engage students, faculty, staff, and the community in collaborative scholarship, creative activity, and research. We invest in our communities through thoughtful public service in our 18-county service region and beyond. Our uniqueness arises from our combination of academic excellence, welcoming atmosphere, and dedication to student success through mentored, real-world learning opportunities in an open-minded, supportive and innovative learning environment.
Current rankings
- #25 in Regional Universities South
- #9 in Best Colleges for Veterans
- #34 in Best Value Schools
- #122 in Top Performers on Social Mobility (tie)
- #11 in Top Public Schools
A "Top Tier" university in academic quality for 30 consecutive years – 1992-2021
- U.S. News & World Report
Ranked 26th Best Regional University among all public and private universities in the southern region. – 2021
- U.S. News & World Report
Ranked 11th Top Public Regional University among all public universities in the southern region – 2021
- U.S. News & World Report
Ranked 39th among Best Value Schools by U.S. News & World Report - 2021
- U.S. News & World Report
Ranked 13th among all regional universities in the south on the U.S. News & World Report "2020 Best Colleges for Veterans."
- U.S. News & World Report
2020 Best Colleges and Number 1 regional public institution in Kentucky
- Money
Murray State ranked "Best Bang for the Buck" - 2020
- Washington Monthly
Ranked in "2021 Best Colleges in America"
- Niche
