Morehead State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Morehead, Kentucky. It enrolls 4,578 students (a mid-sized 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.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
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
70/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes29
Value88
Affordability67
Selectivity48
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 77.2%, Morehead State University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
77.2%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized 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 Morehead State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
4.5 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Morehead State 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 $9,793 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,793
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
30%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
34%
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)
$10,024
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$14,980
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,994
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,416
Books & Supplies
$480
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,028
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,970
Total Cost of Attendance
$21,961
Application fee: $30 (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
$7,150
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,057
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,874
$75,001 – $110,000
$13,341
Over $110,000
$15,164
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.
$3,25010%percentile
$6,25025%percentile
$22,250Medianpercentile
$26,42375%percentile
$36,39690%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 $15,382
↓ $6,868
No Pell $12,865
↓ $9,385
Dependent students $14,000
↓ $8,250
Independent students $17,476
↓ $4,774
Female students $15,000
↓ $7,250
Male students $14,233
↓ $8,017
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($22,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
44% of full-time students who enrolled at Morehead State University graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
44%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Morehead State University earn a median of $43,197 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,197
Earning > $25K
72%
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
$32,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$42,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$33,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$44,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,500, about 25% 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 ↑
15.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 67% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Morehead State University is home to 4,578 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 41% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
4,578
Part-Time
8%
First-Generation
41%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 83.7%3,832
Other 4.4%202
Hispanic 3.2%147
Black 3.1%141
International 2.9%131
Asian 0.8%35
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Morehead State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteMorehead, Kentucky
Housing
Mostly residential3,200 beds on campus
Adult Learners
7%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Morehead State University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
70 distinct programs across
23 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Morehead State University is 14:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$11,971
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$62M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$67,997
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
287 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
74
26%
$82,172
Associate Professors
76
26%
$73,722
Assistant Professors
61
21%
$66,349
Instructors
76
26%
$49,792
Pros & Cons of Morehead State University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Morehead State 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
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Below-average completion rate
First-year retention is below typical
Best for:
Based on the data, Morehead State 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 Morehead State University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Morehead State University.
Is Morehead State University hard to get into?
Morehead State University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 77.2%.
What is the acceptance rate at Morehead State University?
Morehead State University has an acceptance rate of 77.2%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Morehead State University cost?
The average net price after aid at Morehead State University is $9,793 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Morehead State University worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $43,197 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,793 per year. That's roughly 4.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Morehead State University known for?
Morehead State University is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Biology, Teacher Education (K-12). These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Morehead State University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Morehead State University are $43,197, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Morehead State University accredited?
Yes. Morehead State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Morehead State University?
Morehead State University enrolls 4,578 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Morehead State University?
Morehead State University graduates 44% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Morehead State University a public or private college?
Morehead State University is a Public institution.
Where is Morehead State University located?
Morehead State University is located in Morehead, Kentucky.
What programs does Morehead State University offer?
Morehead State University offers 70 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Biology, Teacher Education (K-12).
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Morehead State University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Morehead State University is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Kentucky
Other colleges in Kentucky share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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Rankings That Feature Morehead State University
Morehead State University appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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