Rankings
Morehead State University has ranked among the top public regional universities in the South for 19 consecutive years. This year, MSU earned its highest ranking to date, moving up to the “Top 15” as the #15 ranked public school in the South.
MSU’s overall ranking at #15 of the top regional public universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report is a direct result of continued dedication to academic excellence and student success.
In the University Regional South Category, U.S. News & World Report also recognized MSU as one of the Best Colleges for Veterans (#18), Best Value Schools (#36) and Top Performers on Social Mobility (#79). Our academic programs and services are ranked at the state and national levels.
College of Distinction
Morehead State has been recognized for its honorable commitment to helping undergraduate students learn, grow, and succeed by Colleges of Distinction, a unique guide for college-bound students. MSU has been named a 2022-2023 College of Distinction, Kentucky College of Distinction, and Public College of Distinction.
The Colleges of Distinction selection process comprises a sequence of in-depth research and detailed interviews with schools, accepting only those that adhere to the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community, and Successful Outcomes.
2023
- Recognized by Abound as a College of Distinction for Adult Students, abound.college
- Ed.D. ranked among top programs, Princeton Review
- Affordable College Ranking from Colleges of Distinction, Best Colleges
2022
- MBA ranked among most affordable online, Fortune Education
- Colleges of Distinction recognitions in these categories: Public Universities, Kentucky Universities, Business, Education, Nursing, Career Development, and Military Support
- #15 Top Public Regional Universities in the South, U.S. News and World Report
- Veterinary Technology Bachelor's Degree Program (#1 in KY, #8 in the U.S.), BestColleges.com
- 2022 Best Colleges for Adults, Abound.com
- Fortune 2022 Best Online MBA (Master of Business Administration) Programs
- MSU named a Gold-level Military Friendly School® for 2022-23 by Viqtory Media, https://www.militaryfriendly.com.
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program ranked among best by Princeton Review
2021
- 10 Most Affordable Bachelor’s in Legal Studies for 2022 (#9) by BachelorsDegreeCenter.org
- #21, 6th year as a Top 25; U.S. News & World Report Top Public Regional Universities in the South
- Military Times: Best for Vets: Colleges 2021, colleges.militarytimes.com.
- MSU education programs earn multiple top rankings from Teaching Degree Search
- Ranked No. 1 in 2021 Most Popular Online Curriculum & Instruction Schools in Kentucky
- Ranked No. 1 in 2021 Best Value Curriculum & Instruction Graduate Certificate Schools in Kentucky
- Ranked No. 2 in 2021 Best Value Curriculum & Instruction Graduate Certificate Schools in the Southeast Region
- Ranked No. 6 nationally in 2021 Best Value Curriculum & Instruction Graduate Certificate Schools
- Ranked No. 43 nationally in 2021 Best Value Curriculum & Instruction Schools
- Engineering Programs ranked second for best value schools and best value bachelor’s degree programs in the Southeast region, tradecollege.com.
- Ed.D. - Best Online Doctor of Education Programs, The Princeton Review
- Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting - Top 50 Accounting Degree Programs (#5), Intelligent.com
- Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology program ranked second in US, Intelligent.com
- Master of Arts in Teaching programs (#1) Top 50 Master’s in K-12 Education Degree Programs, Intelligent.com
- Best 25 X-Ray Tech Schools in 2021 (#13), BestValueSchools.org
- Best Bachelor's in Legal Studies Degrees (#8), Study.com
- Bronze-level Military Friendly Schools 2021-22, miltaryfriendly.com
- Best 20 Masters in Behavioral Science Schools in 2021 (#7), Best Value Schools
- Bachelor’s in business programs ranked #19, U.S. News & World Report’s list of the Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs for 2021
- Master of Arts in Teaching (Ranked #1 for Best Master's in K-12 Education Degree Programs), Intelligent.com
- Master of Arts in Adult and Higher Education (Ranked #1 for Best Master's in Adult Education Learning Degree Programs, Intelligent.com
- Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology (Ranked #2 for Best Veterinary Degree Programs), Intelligent.com
- Master of Arts in Sociology (Ranked #2 for Best Master's in Sociology Degree Programs), Intelligent.com
- Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting (Ranked #5 for Best Accounting Degree Programs), Intelligent.com
- Master of Arts in Sport Management (Ranked #7 for Best Master's in Sports Management Degree Programs), Intelligent.com
- Master of Arts in English (Ranked #16 for Best Master's in English Language Learning Degree Programs), Intelligent.com
- Doctor of Education (Ranked #23 for Best Doctorate in Education Degree Programs), Intelligent.com
- 25 Best Online Master’s in Sports Management programs for 2021; BestMastersPrograms.org
- #17, U.S. News & World ReportTop Public Universities in the South