The average acceptance rate at Murray State over the past 10 years is 84.43%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 85.68%. The acceptance rate at Murray State is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 21.40%, and the 2025 yield is 17.39%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 47.70% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of Murray State applicants decreased by 5.00% (552 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 115.14% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 85.68%, representing an increasingly selective admissions process. This indicates that Murray State has become more competitive over the past decade, as the institution receives a growing number of applications while maintaining or reducing the number of admitted students.
The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 17.39%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Murray State. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, Murray State received approximately 10,486 applications, admitted 8,984 students, and enrolled 1,562 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Murray State is attracting an increasing number of prospective students over time. This growth in applications typically reflects enhanced institutional visibility, improved marketing initiatives, or increasing perceived value in the higher education market.
Murray State 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Murray State over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 84.43%, while the most recent rate stands at 85.68%. This data reflects the institution's evolving competitiveness in the higher education admissions landscape.
For the most recent admission cycle (2025), the acceptance rate is 85.68%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 83.05% and for women is 85.27%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at Murray State have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 90.60% | 87.80% | 92.54% |
| 2016-17 | 85.35% -5.25% |
82.74% -5.06% |
86.99% -5.55% |
| 2017-18 | 86.67% 1.31% |
85.73% 2.99% |
87.22% 0.23% |
| 2018-19 | 81.42% -5.25% |
80.85% -4.88% |
81.73% -5.48% |
| 2019-20 | 82.39% 0.97% |
82.09% 1.24% |
82.56% 0.83% |
| 2020-21 | 77.03% -5.36% |
75.95% -6.14% |
77.64% -4.93% |
| 2021-22 | 85.00% 7.96% |
83.02% 7.07% |
85.99% 8.36% |
| 2022-23 | 83.98% -1.01% |
81.66% -1.35% |
85.47% -0.53% |
| 2023-24 | 86.17% 2.18% |
85.72% 4.05% |
86.45% 0.98% |
| 2024-25 | 85.68% -0.49% |
84.92% -0.80% |
86.13% -0.31% |
| Average | 84.43% | 83.05% | 85.27% |
Murray State has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 33.24% in 2015 to 17.39% in 2025, representing a 47.70% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 21.40%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Murray State from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 47.70% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 33.24% | 33.85% | 32.85% |
| 2016-17 | 27.16% -6.08% |
28.77% -5.08% |
26.20% -6.64% |
| 2017-18 | 24.13% -3.03% |
26.51% -2.26% |
22.76% -3.44% |
| 2018-19 | 19.62% -4.51% |
21.87% -4.64% |
18.40% -4.36% |
| 2019-20 | 20.71% 1.09% |
21.57% -0.30% |
20.24% 1.84% |
| 2020-21 | 20.43% -0.28% |
21.45% -0.13% |
19.87% -0.37% |
| 2021-22 | 18.00% -2.43% |
20.99% -0.46% |
16.00% -3.87% |
| 2022-23 | 15.87% -2.13% |
17.81% -3.17% |
14.86% -1.13% |
| 2023-24 | 17.44% 1.58% |
16.55% -1.26% |
18.00% 3.14% |
| 2024-25 | 17.39% -0.06% |
17.28% 0.73% |
17.45% -0.55% |
| Average | 21.40% | 22.67% | 20.66% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 8,531, the average number of admitted is 7,174, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 1,464.
The number of Murray State applicants decreased by 5.00% (552 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 115.14% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Murray State University from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 4,874 | 4,416 | 1,468 |
| 2016-17 | 6,479 32.93% |
5,530 25.23% |
1,502 2.32% |
| 2017-18 | 6,900 6.50% |
5,980 8.14% |
1,443 -3.93% |
| 2018-19 | 8,256 19.65% |
6,722 12.41% |
1,319 -8.59% |
| 2019-20 | 8,327 0.86% |
6,861 2.07% |
1,421 7.73% |
| 2020-21 | 9,552 14.71% |
7,358 7.24% |
1,503 5.77% |
| 2021-22 | 9,144 -4.27% |
7,772 5.63% |
1,399 -6.92% |
| 2022-23 | 10,251 12.11% |
8,609 10.77% |
1,366 -2.36% |
| 2023-24 | 11,038 7.68% |
9,511 10.48% |
1,659 21.45% |
| 2024-25 | 10,486 -5.00% |
8,984 -5.54% |
1,562 -5.85% |
| Average | 8,531 | 7,174 | 1,464 |
The following table compares Murray State University' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murray State University | 86.17% | 85.68% | -0.57% |
| Austin Peay State University | 96.41% | 95.95% | 0.48% |
| Tennessee State University | 70.11% | 92.63% | -24.31% |
| Southeast Missouri State University | 73.52% | 78.50% | -6.34% |
| Eastern Kentucky University | 77.61% | 78.09% | -0.61% |
| Tennessee Technological University | 76.13% | 83.16% | -8.45% |
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