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Marshall University

Public Graduate Strong 73/100

Marshall University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Huntington, West Virginia

About Marshall University

Marshall University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Huntington, West Virginia. It enrolls 7,266 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.

Official website: marshall.edu

Acceptance: 95.7%
Graduation: 47.5%
Net Price: $7,502
Median Earnings (10yr): $46,354
Enrollment: 7,266
Student : Faculty: 15:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission

Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.

Strong

73/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 40

Value 95

Affordability 80

Selectivity 17

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 95.7%, Marshall University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.

Acceptance Rate

95.7%

Open

SAT Range (25th–75th)

910 – 1150

Reading + Math combined

ACT Range (25th–75th)

19 – 24

Cumulative composite

Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Marshall University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 9.6 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending Marshall University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $7,502 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$7,502

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

39%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

40%

Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state): $9,162
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state): $20,342
Room & Board (on-campus): $13,292
Room & Board (off-campus): $11,666
Books & Supplies: $1,100
Other Expenses (on-campus): $4,200
Other Expenses (off-campus): $5,000
Total Cost of Attendance: $22,022

Application fee: $40 (one-time, due at submission)

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

Under $30,000

$4,648
$30,001 – $48,000

$4,430
$48,001 – $75,000

$6,837
$75,001 – $110,000

$11,227
Over $110,000

$15,076

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,750

10% percentile

$5,500

25% percentile

$23,250

Median percentile

$26,584

75% percentile

$37,270

90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median

Pell recipients $18,034 ↓ $5,216

No Pell $14,345 ↓ $8,905

Dependent students $16,282 ↓ $6,968

Independent students $18,750 ↓ $4,500

Female students $17,523 ↓ $5,727

Male students $15,312 ↓ $7,938

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,760, less than completers ($23,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

47% of full-time students who enrolled at Marshall University graduate within six years, and 75% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

47%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

75%

Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Marshall University earn a median of $46,354 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$46,354

Earning > $25K

74%

10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates

$36,700

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$47,800

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$39,200

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$40,900

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$45,800

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $11,100, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 17.2 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Moderate. Only 68% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Marshall University is home to 7,266 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 37% are first-generation college students.

Total Enrolled

7,266

Part-Time

First-Generation

37%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

White 81.6% 5,931

Black 5.4% 390

Other 4.4% 319

Hispanic 2.9% 213

Asian 1.3% 96

International 1.2% 86

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Marshall University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Small City Huntington, West Virginia

Housing

Partly residential 2,283 beds available

Adult Learners

11% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

Marshall University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 117 distinct programs across 24 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

27 Programs

Health

Health/Medical Preparatory $62K ($43K–$83K)
Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)

13 Programs

Business

Business $68K ($48K–$95K)
Business $68K ($48K–$95K)
Accounting $76K ($56K–$97K)

2 Programs

Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts $53K ($36K–$73K)
Liberal Arts $53K ($36K–$73K)

3 Programs

Public Administration

Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Public Policy $74K ($53K–$104K)

4 Programs

Biology

Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Ecology $49K ($36K–$64K)

8 Programs

Engineering

Civil Engineering $87K ($74K–$101K)
Mechanical Engineering $92K ($78K–$109K)
Electrical Engineering $101K ($85K–$122K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Marshall University is 15:1, close to the national average.

Student : Faculty

15:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Instruction / Student

$15,940

Annual instructional spending per enrolled student

Endowment

$214M

Solid financial position

Avg Faculty Salary

$74,908

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

819 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank	Faculty Count	Share	Avg Salary
Full Professors	238	29%	$88,546
Associate Professors	224	27%	$78,864
Assistant Professors	287	35%	$67,697
Instructors	70	9%	$44,724

Pros & Cons of Marshall University

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Marshall University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

Very affordable net price after aid
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Reasonable class sizes

CONS

Below-average completion rate
Modest first-year retention

Best for: Based on the data, Marshall University is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low.

Frequently Asked Questions about Marshall University

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Marshall University.

Is Marshall University hard to get into?

Marshall University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 95.7%.

What is the acceptance rate at Marshall University?

Marshall University has an acceptance rate of 95.7%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

What SAT score do you need for Marshall University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Marshall University scored between 910 and 1150 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.

What ACT score do you need for Marshall University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Marshall University scored between 19 and 24 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

How much does Marshall University cost?

The average net price after aid at Marshall University is $7,502 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Marshall University worth it?

Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $46,354 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $7,502 per year. That's roughly 6.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Marshall University known for?

Marshall University is best known for its programs in Business, Liberal Arts, Health/Medical Preparatory. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do Marshall University graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering Marshall University are $46,354, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is Marshall University accredited?

Yes. Marshall University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

How many students attend Marshall University?

Marshall University enrolls 7,266 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at Marshall University?

Marshall University graduates 47% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is Marshall University a public or private college?

Marshall University is a Public institution.

Where is Marshall University located?

Marshall University is located in Huntington, West Virginia.

What programs does Marshall University offer?

Marshall University offers 117 distinct programs. The most popular include Business, Liberal Arts, Health/Medical Preparatory.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Marshall University?

The student-to-faculty ratio at Marshall University is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.