UALR vs. Murray State University

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

UALR Murray State University
Location Little Rock, AR Murray, KY
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 8,197 9,479
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #686 #669
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu murraystate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UALR Murray State University
Tuition (In State) $5,729 $8,196
Tuition (Out of State) $16,320 $17,652
Room & Board $9,162 $10,160
Avg Net Price $11,173 $11,042
Avg Grant Aid $10,494 $11,560
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 100%

Admission

UALR Murray State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,568 10,251
Admitted 2,193 8,609
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 84%
Enrolled % 25% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 19/26
SAT Range 970/1220 965/1190
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 17, 2025

Academics

UALR Murray State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

UALR Murray State University
Graduation Rate 21% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $222

Diversity

UALR Murray State University
% Men 39% 37%
% Women 61% 63%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 81%
% Black 27% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 2%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

UALR Murray State University
% In-State 90% 61%
% Out-of-State 10% 36%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Murray State University is larger than than UALR based on total student enrollment (9,479 students vs. 8,197 students)

UALR vs. Murray State University Cost Comparison

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

  • Murray State University is 43.1% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($8,196.00 vs. $5,729.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.2% higher at Murray State University than University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($17,652.00 vs. $16,320.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Murray State University than UALR ($11,042 vs. $11,173)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas at Little Rock are 10.9% lower than costs at Murray State University ($9,162 vs. $10,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Murray State University than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Murray State University students is 10.2% larger than aid received University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($11,560 vs. $10,494)

UALR vs. Murray State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UALR 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 UALR .

  • The average SAT score at Murray State University (1069) is 79 points higher than at UALR (990)
  • Incoming Murray State University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at UALR (21)
  • Accepted freshman Murray State University students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at UALR (3.42)
  • Murray State University has a higher acceptance rate (84%) than UALR (61.5%)

UALR vs. Murray State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UALR 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 UALR.

  • The graduation rate at Murray State University is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (52% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Murray State University earn on average $2,400 more per year than UALR graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $38,000)
  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Murray State University graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,500)
  • UALR graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Murray State University graduates. ($211 vs. $222)
  • More Murray State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UALR students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 51%)

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