Murray State University is a public four-year institution based in Murray, Kentucky. Its campus is in a town setting. It enrolled 10,020 students in fall 2024, including 7,851 undergraduates and 2,169 graduate students.
Murray State University offers certificates, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees, and professional doctorates across 112 programs. Its largest programs by number of graduates are Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other, Business/Commerce, and General Studies. It awarded 2,347 degrees and certificates in 2024-25. 32 of its programs can be completed entirely online.
76% of full-time first-year students return for a second year. The student-to-faculty ratio is 17 to 1.
Mission
Murray State University places our highest priority on student learning and excellent teaching, blending the range of educational opportunities often experienced at research institutions with the nurturing student-teacher interactions usually found at smaller universities. 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.
Key figures
10,020
Students enrolled
76%
First-year retention
2,347
Degrees and certificates awarded, 2024-25
112
Programs and majors
17:1
Student-to-faculty ratio
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Delivery modes
CampusOnlineHybrid
Program levels
CertificateAssociateBachelorMasterPhDProfessional
Programs and majors offered 112
Graduate counts are degrees and certificates awarded in each program between July 2024 and June 2025. Largest fields are listed first.
Retention is for students who started in fall 2023 and returned in fall 2024.
First-year retention, full-time students
76%
First-year retention, part-time students
17%
Student-to-faculty ratio
17:1
Degrees and certificates awarded
Awards conferred between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
Bachelor's degrees
1,559
Associate degrees
26
Master's degrees
626
Professional doctorates
25
Other doctoral degrees
60
Certificates under 1 year
21
Postbaccalaureate certificates
30
Enrollment
Students, fall 2024
10,020
Undergraduates, fall 2024
7,851
Graduate students, fall 2024
2,169
Full-time, fall 2024
67%
Students over the full 2024-25 year
12,151
Undergraduates, 2024-25
9,160
Graduate students, 2024-25
2,991
Full-time, 2024-25
58%
Size category
10,000 to 19,999 students
Student body
Share of all students enrolled during 2024-25. Small groups can round to zero and are not listed.
Women
63%
Men
37%
White
73%
Hispanic or Latino
3%
Black or African American
6%
Asian
1%
Two or more races
3%
International (U.S. nonresident)
10%
Race or ethnicity unknown
4%
Online and flexible learning
Distance education in 2024-25.
Programs that can be completed fully online
32
Programs with a fully online option
36
Online undergraduate programs
Yes
Online graduate programs
Yes
Students studying fully online
21%
Students taking some online courses
31%
Weekend or evening classes
Yes
Campus and services
Setting
Town
Academic calendar
Semester
Carnegie classification
Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Research designation
Research Colleges and Universities
Athletic association
NCAA
Athletic conference
Missouri Valley Conference
President
Dr. Ron K. Patterson
Services and opportunities
Study abroad, ROTC, Teacher certification, Academic and career counseling, Student employment services, Job placement for graduates, Accepts AP credit, Credit for life experience
For veterans and service members
Yellow Ribbon Program, Credit for military training, Dedicated veterans contact, Student veteran organization