Arkansas vs. Murray State University

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

Arkansas Murray State University
Location Fayetteville, AR Murray, KY
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 30,936 9,479
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #458 #669
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uark.edu murraystate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arkansas Murray State University
Tuition (In State) $7,666 $8,196
Tuition (Out of State) $25,420 $17,652
Room & Board $12,368 $10,160
Avg Net Price $16,208 $11,042
Avg Grant Aid $8,474 $11,560
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 100%

Admission

Arkansas Murray State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 26,219 10,251
Admitted 20,695 8,609
Acceptance Rate 78.9% 84%
Enrolled % 34.3% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 19/26
SAT Range 1030/1220 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Arkansas Murray State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Arkansas Murray State University
Graduation Rate 59% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $222

Diversity

Arkansas Murray State University
% Men 44% 37%
% Women 56% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 81%
% Black 5% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Arkansas Murray State University
% In-State 39% 61%
% Out-of-State 60% 36%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arkansas is larger than than Murray State University based on total student enrollment (30,936 students vs. 9,479 students)

Arkansas vs. Murray State University Cost Comparison

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

  • Murray State University is 6.9% more expensive to attend than Arkansas for in-state tuition ($8,196.00 vs. $7,666.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44% higher at Arkansas than Murray State University ($25,420.00 vs. $17,652.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Murray State University than Arkansas ($11,042 vs. $16,208)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Murray State University are 21.7% lower than costs at University of Arkansas ($10,160 vs. $12,368)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Murray State University than University of Arkansas (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Murray State University students is 36.4% larger than aid received University of Arkansas ($11,560 vs. $8,474)

Arkansas vs. Murray State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Arkansas 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 Arkansas .

  • The average SAT score at University of Arkansas (1154) is 85 points higher than at Murray State University (1069)
  • Incoming Arkansas students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Murray State University (23)
  • Accepted freshman Arkansas students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Murray State University (3.57)
  • Murray State University has a higher acceptance rate (84%) than Arkansas (78.9%)

Arkansas vs. Murray State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arkansas 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 Arkansas.

  • The graduation rate at Arkansas is higher than Murray State University (59% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from University of Arkansas earn on average $10,000 more per year than Murray State University graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $40,400)
  • Murray State University and Arkansas graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($21,500 vs. $21,500)
  • Murray State University and Arkansas graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($222 vs. $222)
  • More Arkansas graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Murray State University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 57%)

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