Piedmont College vs. Murray State University

Should I go to Piedmont College or Murray State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Piedmont College or Murray State University is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Piedmont College vs. Murray State University comparison
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Piedmont College Murray State University
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Overview

Piedmont College Murray State University
Location Demorest, GA Murray, KY
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 1,843 9,479
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #669
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu murraystate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College Murray State University
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $8,196
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $17,652
Room & Board $11,562 $10,160
Avg Net Price $18,792 $11,042
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $11,560
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Piedmont College Murray State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 10,251
Admitted 1,500 8,609
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 84%
Enrolled % 20.1% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/26
SAT Range 990/1200 965/1190
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Piedmont College Murray State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College Murray State University
Graduation Rate 46% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $245 $222

Diversity

Piedmont College Murray State University
% Men 28% 37%
% Women 72% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 81%
% Black 9% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 10% 2%

Students

Piedmont College Murray State University
% In-State 85% 61%
% Out-of-State 14% 36%

Campus

Piedmont College Murray State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Murray State University is larger than than Piedmont College based on total student enrollment (9,479 students vs. 1,843 students)

Piedmont College vs. Murray State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont College or Murray State University?

  • Piedmont College is 253.5% more expensive to attend than Murray State University for in-state tuition ($28,970.00 vs. $8,196.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.1% higher at Piedmont College than Murray State University ($28,970.00 vs. $17,652.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Murray State University than Piedmont College ($11,042 vs. $18,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Murray State University are 13.8% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($10,160 vs. $11,562)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College as Murray State University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 108.2% larger than aid received Murray State University ($24,065 vs. $11,560)

Piedmont College vs. Murray State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Piedmont College or Murray State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Murray State University or Piedmont College .

  • The average SAT score at Murray State University (1069) is 74 points higher than at Piedmont College (995)
  • Incoming Murray State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Piedmont College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Murray State University students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Piedmont College (3.54)
  • Murray State University has a higher acceptance rate (84%) than Piedmont College (64.4%)

Piedmont College vs. Murray State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont College or Murray State University? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Murray State University and Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at Murray State University is higher than Piedmont College (52% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Piedmont College earn on average $600 more per year than Murray State University graduates after ten years. ($41,000 vs. $40,400)
  • Murray State University students graduate with a $2,236 lower median federal student loan debt than Piedmont College graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,736)
  • Murray State University graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Piedmont College graduates. ($222 vs. $245)
  • More Murray State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 44%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/