Shorter vs. Murray State University

Should I go to Shorter University or Murray State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Shorter 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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Shorter University vs. Murray State University comparison
Shorter University Murray State University College 3 College 4
Shorter University Murray State University
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Overview

Shorter Murray State University
Location Rome, GA Murray, KY
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 1,447 9,841
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #977 #704
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shorter.edu murraystate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Shorter Murray State University
Tuition (In State) $23,514 $8,436
Tuition (Out of State) $23,514 $18,180
Room & Board $9,784 $10,594
Avg Net Price $16,692 $9,738
Avg Grant Aid $18,168 $12,939
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Shorter Murray State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 11,038
Admitted 759 9,511
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 86.2%
Enrolled % 35.4% 17.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.57
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 19/26
SAT Range 900/1130 950/1190
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 Aug 25, 2026

Academics

Shorter Murray State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Shorter Murray State University
Graduation Rate 47% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,300 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,418 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $293 $222

Diversity

Shorter Murray State University
% Men 4% 7%
% Women 5% 13%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 81%
% Black 24% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Shorter Murray State University
% In-State 81% 61%
% Out-of-State 16% 38%

Campus

Shorter 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 Shorter based on total student enrollment (9,841 students vs. 1,447 students)

Shorter vs. Murray State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Shorter or Murray State University?

  • Shorter University is 178.7% more expensive to attend than Murray State University for in-state tuition ($23,514.00 vs. $8,436.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.3% higher at Shorter than Murray State University ($23,514.00 vs. $18,180.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Murray State University than Shorter ($9,738 vs. $16,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 8.3% lower than costs at Murray State University ($9,784 vs. $10,594)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University as Murray State University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shorter University students is 40.4% larger than aid received Murray State University ($18,168 vs. $12,939)

Shorter vs. Murray State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Shorter 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 Shorter .

  • The average SAT score at Murray State University (1069) is 100 points higher than at Shorter (969)
  • Incoming Murray State University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Shorter (21)
  • Accepted freshman Murray State University students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Shorter (3.25)
  • Shorter has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Murray State University (86.2%)

Shorter vs. Murray State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Shorter 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 Shorter.

  • The graduation rate at Murray State University is higher than Shorter University (52% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Shorter University earn on average $8,900 more per year than Murray State University graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $40,400)
  • Murray State University students graduate with a $6,918 lower median federal student loan debt than Shorter graduates. ($21,500 vs. $28,418)
  • Murray State University graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Shorter graduates. ($222 vs. $293)
  • More Murray State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shorter students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 38%)

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