Marshall University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Marshall University, a public university in West Virginia, reports a 96% acceptance rate and sits in the accessible band. In practice that means it admits most qualified applicants, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what Marshall University weighs, where it ranks among West Virginia schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1160, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Marshall University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Marshall University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Marshall University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Marshall University?
Your odds at Marshall University are not the same as its 96% acceptance rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Marshall University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Marshall University hard to get into?
Marshall University is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 96% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Marshall University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Marshall University, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Marshall University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Marshall University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Marshall University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Marshall University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1030 SAT?
About 98% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1030 SAT, the middle of Marshall University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1150 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/marshall-university.
How to get into Marshall University
Built from Marshall University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
There is no formula that guarantees a spot at Marshall University, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Marshall University carries about a 2.94 core GPA and a 1100 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 910 to 1150 SAT (19 to 24 ACT). Submit a score at 1030 or higher; below 910, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Marshall University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Marshall University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.marshall.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to Marshall University, and how many get in?
Marshall University admitted 6,269 of the 6,499 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 96.5%. 1,739 enrolled. Only about 28% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Marshall University enrolls about 7,266 undergraduates in total, 56% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Marshall University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Marshall University scored between 910 and 1150 on the SAT (average 1061). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 19 to 24. A score above 1150 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 910 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Marshall University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Marshall University looks for
What Marshall University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at Marshall University are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Marshall University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Marshall University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Marshall University cost after financial aid?
Marshall University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $22,022 per year. Tuition and fees are $9,162 for WV residents and $20,342 for out-of-state students, a $11,180 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $7,502 a year, and it ranges from $4,648 for families earning under $30,000 to $15,076 for families earning over $110,000. 39% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Marshall University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Marshall University student who received federal aid earns $46,354 a year, up from $39,561 at six years. 51% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 72% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $23,250; 40% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Marshall University compares in West Virginia
Marshall University ranks #10 most selective of 15 schools in West Virginia in our database.
Among the 15 West Virginia schools we track, Marshall University ranks #10 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Bethany College (WV) (59%) and Charleston University (WV) (62%) sit nearby, which makes West Virginia a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to Marshall University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting Marshall University often weigh Austin Peay State University, Troy University, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore, which sit at a similar level. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Marshall University's acceptance rate?
Marshall University admitted 6,269 of 6,499 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 96.5% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 28% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Marshall University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 910 to 1150 on the SAT and 19 to 24 on the ACT. A score above 1150 is in the top quarter of admits. Marshall University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Marshall University test-optional?
Yes. Marshall University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Marshall University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Marshall University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $7,502 a year against a sticker price of about $22,022. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $4,648 on average.
What do Marshall University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Marshall University are $46,354 a year among students who received federal aid, and 51% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Marshall University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Marshall University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Marshall University favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, Marshall University generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at Marshall University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Marshall University specifically.
What are the admission requirements for Marshall University?
Marshall University reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.