Campus of Murray State University-Kentucky

    Murray State University-Kentucky

    Murray, KY, United States

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    • Public
    • Master's university
    • NCAA Division I

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    Photo: Murray State, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Murray State University-Kentucky Outcomes

    Murray State University-Kentucky has 53 programs with reported graduate earnings. The highest is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (doctoral), where graduates earn a median $189,508 four years after finishing, against $135,401 for the same field nationally.

    Outcomes

    Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
    59.9%

    Graduation rate

    First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time

    75.7%

    First-year retention

    Students who return for a second year

    Median earnings

    $48,482

    Former students who received federal aid

    Murray State University-Kentucky graduate earnings by major

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, 2025

    Median earnings of graduates who received federal aid, one and four years after finishing, and the median federal loan debt they borrowed at Murray State University-Kentucky. The field median is the middle value for the same field and credential across every college that reports it. 83 more programs have too few graduates for earnings to be published.

    Largest program
    Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
    111 graduates · $41,797 median earnings
    Above the national median
    9 of 53 programs
    Graduate earnings compared with the same field and credential at other colleges
    Lowest debt for the pay
    Computer Science
    Median debt is 22% of a year's earnings

    Highest-earning programs

    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (doctoral)
    $189,508
    Field median $135,401
    Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (master's)
    $107,129
    Field median $103,243
    Business/Commerce, General (master's)
    $96,691
    Field median $106,812
    Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians (bachelor's)
    $87,573
    Field median $75,357
    Engineering Physics (bachelor's)
    $86,713
    Field median $90,465
    Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (bachelor's)
    $84,705
    Field median $83,928
    English Language and Literature, General (doctoral)
    $78,226
    Field median $62,168
    Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians (bachelor's)
    $76,967
    Field median $76,599
    Median earnings four years after finishing, or one year where four is not reported.

    Bachelor's programs

    Bachelor's programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians21$63,903$87,573$75,35716% above$21,500
    Engineering Physics22$76,146$86,713$90,4654% belowN/A
    Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians36$75,788$84,705$83,9281% above$21,500
    Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians17$76,967N/A$76,5990% aboveN/A
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing104$72,281$72,462$86,02016% below$17,200
    Computer Science32$58,962$67,173$99,17732% below$14,875
    Accounting and Related Services85$55,383$64,269$73,05412% below$15,500
    Business Administration, Management and Operations21$43,050$63,679$64,5901% belowN/A
    Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management21$62,583N/A$62,1941% above$15,000
    Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians16N/A$58,862$77,51724% belowN/A
    Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication42$41,538$58,265$62,0276% below$22,250
    Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness0N/A$57,764$53,0249% aboveN/A
    Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other101$50,962$57,686$59,0312% below$16,000
    Marketing20N/A$56,780$66,54215% belowN/A
    Finance and Financial Management Services72$45,889$56,263$77,31227% below$17,500
    Public Health31$36,323$51,848$57,39810% below$24,375
    Business/Commerce, General66$43,581$51,818$64,01619% below$18,250
    Mathematics14$46,631$51,771$70,62827% belowN/A
    Communication Disorders Sciences and Services35N/A$50,387$58,49114% below$18,946
    Criminal Justice and Corrections21$44,094$48,437$54,46911% below$23,000
    Biology, General46$37,206$48,370$57,55816% below$22,912
    History23$35,666$46,739$50,3877% belowN/A
    Radio, Television, and Digital Communication10N/A$45,127$48,4847% belowN/A
    Research and Experimental Psychology61$33,270$44,800$56,28220% below$22,250
    Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management20$28,870$43,844$45,3483% below$20,000
    Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities111$40,793$41,797$52,02020% below$18,208
    English Language and Literature, General30$30,189$41,383$48,77315% below$22,500
    Social Work27$36,314$41,165$51,85921% below$24,956
    Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/TechniciansNot available$36,009$40,839$41,9543% below$19,200
    Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas25$39,590N/A$45,64913% belowN/A
    Fine and Studio Arts25$31,582$38,192$41,5508% below$23,000
    Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods101$37,235$38,132$47,73020% below$21,500
    Music23$33,884$36,697$43,38715% below$26,102
    Special Education and Teaching23$37,340$36,657$51,25828% below$21,250
    Political Science and Government12$29,188N/A$43,08732% below$16,375

    Master's programs

    Master's programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians16$91,847$107,129$103,2434% aboveN/A
    Business/Commerce, General108$65,576$96,691$106,8129% below$26,119
    Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions16$64,384N/A$67,4475% belowN/A
    Public Administration31$61,993N/A$66,0906% below$38,227
    Educational Administration and Supervision47$52,535$60,155$69,94414% below$20,250
    Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other91$53,920$58,618$58,6180% above$24,787
    Communication and Media Studies19$58,542N/A$56,4864% aboveN/A
    Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services10$57,963N/A$57,0072% aboveN/A
    Communication Disorders Sciences and Services22$58,128$57,136$65,78613% below$39,761
    Community Organization and Advocacy12$46,396$51,766$61,63316% belowN/A
    Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication9N/A$51,638$81,40137% belowN/A
    Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas82$52,910$50,821$62,45019% below$24,780
    Student Counseling and Personnel Services17$46,284N/A$53,96514% below$44,487
    Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods39$43,425$44,101$58,84525% below$26,134
    Special Education and Teaching11$45,204$43,802$63,05831% belowN/A

    Doctoral programs

    Doctoral programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingNot available$207,471$189,508$135,40140% above$199,583
    English Language and Literature, General29$78,226N/A$62,16826% above$49,546
    Educational Administration and Supervision26$88,280$73,149$101,19428% below$55,009

    Career paths from this college

    Careers linked to the programs Murray State University-Kentucky reports, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for the whole occupation, not for this college's graduates.

    Explore all 434 careers
    • Bright outlook

      Healthcare practitioners

      Nurse Anesthetists

      Median pay
      $236,590
      Outlook
      Much faster than average

      Master's degree

      Via Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

      • Critical Thinking
      • Reading Comprehension
      • Active Learning
    • Management

      Chief Executives

      Median pay
      $213,990
      Outlook
      As fast as average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Public Administration, Business/Commerce, General and 2 more

      • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Complex Problem Solving
      • Critical Thinking
    • Management

      Chief Sustainability Officers

      Median pay
      $213,990
      Outlook
      As fast as average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Public Administration, Business/Commerce, General and 2 more

      • Critical Thinking
      • Writing
      • Active Listening
    • Bright outlook

      Science

      Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

      Median pay
      $193,950
      Outlook
      Faster than average

      Master's degree

      Via Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

      • Active Listening
      • Reading Comprehension
      • Writing
    • Bright outlook

      Management

      Computer and Information Systems Managers

      Median pay
      $175,140
      Outlook
      Much faster than average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Computer and Information Sciences, General, Information Science/Studies and 3 more

      • Critical Thinking
      • Active Listening
      • Reading Comprehension

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