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AccessibleReviewed for the 2026-2027 cycle

Morehead State University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

Morehead State University, a public university in Kentucky, reports a 77% 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.

Your odds at Morehead State University
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Morehead State University weighs, where it ranks among Kentucky schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1100, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
77%
Accessible
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1100
of admitted students
Type
Public
Morehead, KY
Average net price
$9,793
per year after aid

What do students study at Morehead State 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.

Business, Management and Marketing · 138 (14.7%)Liberal Arts and General Studies · 126 (13.4%)Education · 80 (8.5%)Health Professions and Related Programs · 78 (8.3%)Agriculture and Agricultural Operations · 62 (6.6%)Engineering Technologies · 57 (6.1%)Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 53 (5.6%)Social Sciences · 47 (5%)Public Administration and Social Service · 46 (4.9%)Visual and Performing Arts · 43 (4.6%)Parks, Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies · 40 (4.3%)Psychology · 36 (3.8%)

Will I get into Morehead State University?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Morehead State University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into Morehead State University?

Your odds at Morehead State University are not the same as its 77% 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 Morehead State University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Morehead State University hard to get into?

Morehead State University is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 77% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into Morehead State University?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Morehead State University, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Morehead State University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

What SAT score do you need for Morehead State University?

Morehead State University does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1100. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at Morehead State University.

Calculate your chances at Morehead State University →

Your chances at Morehead State University by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Morehead State 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 Morehead State University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1040 SAT?

About 94% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1040 SAT, the middle of Morehead State University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1100 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Morehead State University by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 97025th pctSAT 1040middleSAT 110075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.543%Target57%Likely69%Likely44%Target
2.873%Safety83%Safety89%Safety80%Safety
3.190%Safety94%Safety96%Safety95%Safety
3.497%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%Safety

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/morehead-state-university.

How to get into Morehead State University

Built from Morehead State 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 Morehead State University, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Morehead State University carries about a 3.15 core GPA and a 1050 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Build the file around what Morehead State University weighs

Morehead State 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.

Step 3
Apply in the round that helps

Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Morehead State University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.moreheadstate.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.

See your odds and your top moves at Morehead State University →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.moreheadstate.edu ↗

How many students apply to Morehead State University, and how many get in?

Morehead State University admitted 7,241 of the 8,818 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 82.1%. 1,227 enrolled. Only about 17% 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. Morehead State University enrolls about 4,578 undergraduates in total, 61% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1.

Applied
8,818
fall 2023
Admitted
7,241
82.1% of applicants
Enrolled
1,227
17% yield
Undergraduates
4,578
Morehead, remote town

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Morehead State University?

Morehead State 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.

Test scores
Test-optional
admissions policy

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.

What Morehead State University looks for

What Morehead State University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

The factors that carry the most weight at Morehead State 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 Morehead State University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Class rank
Considered
Standardized test scores
Important
Talent / ability
Considered
Character / personal qualities
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Considered

SAT score positioning at Morehead State University

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at Morehead State University
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Above the admitted 75th percentile
1100In the competitive admitted range
Colleges for a 1100 SAT →Colleges for a 22 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Morehead State University cost after financial aid?

The full sticker price at Morehead State University (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $21,961 a year. Tuition and fees are $10,024 for KY residents and $14,980 for out-of-state students, a $4,956 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 $9,793 a year, and it ranges from $7,150 for families earning under $30,000 to $15,164 for families earning over $110,000. 30% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$21,961
per year, before aid
Average net price
$9,793
after grants and scholarships
In-state tuition
$10,024
$14,980 out of state
Pell recipients
30%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$7,150
$30k to $48k$7,057
$48k to $75k$8,874
$75k to $110k$13,341
Over $110k$15,164

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 Morehead State University graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Median earnings for Morehead State University students ten years after entry are $43,197 ($37,131 at the six-year mark). 52% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 65% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $22,250; 34% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$43,197
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
52%
within six years
Retention
65%
return for year two
Median debt
$22,250
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How Morehead State University compares in Kentucky

Morehead State University ranks #9 most selective of 23 schools in Kentucky in our database.

Among the 23 Kentucky schools we track, Morehead State University ranks #9 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Berea College (19%) and Brescia University (35%) sit nearby, which makes Kentucky 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.

Berea College
19%acceptance · KY
Brescia University
35%acceptance · KY
Centre College
54%acceptance · KY
Kentucky Christian University
61%acceptance · KY
Union College (KY)
63%acceptance · KY
Northern Kentucky University
68%acceptance · KY
Kentucky Wesleyan College
72%acceptance · KY
Alice Lloyd College
75%acceptance · KY
See all Kentucky schools →

Similar to Morehead State University

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

Applicants targeting Morehead State University often weigh Oregon State University, University of Alabama, and University of North Dakota, 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.

Oregon State University
77%acceptance · OR
University of Alabama
77%acceptance · AL
University of North Dakota
77%acceptance · ND
University of Oklahoma
77%acceptance · OK
Fort Lewis College
77%acceptance · CO
Lake Superior State University
77%acceptance · MI

Frequently asked questions

What is Morehead State University's acceptance rate?

Morehead State University admitted 7,241 of 8,818 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 82.1% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 17% of admitted students enrolled.

Is Morehead State University test-optional?

Yes. Morehead State 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 Morehead State University cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Morehead State University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $9,793 a year against a sticker price of about $21,961. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $7,150 on average.

What do Morehead State University graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Morehead State University are $43,197 a year among students who received federal aid, and 52% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Morehead State University value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Morehead State University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Morehead State University favor in-state applicants?

As a public university, Morehead State 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 Morehead State 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 Morehead State University specifically.

What are the admission requirements for Morehead State University?

Morehead State 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.