Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN · Public · Midsize city · Carnegie R1/R2 · MTSU
Public institution in Murfreesboro, TN · 16,115 undergraduates · 68% acceptance rate · $48,541 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 7%Undergraduates
- Top 25%Average net price
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $12,599486th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $9,506536th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $29,0421,212th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $22,754543rd cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $20,000625th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $48,5411,151st highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $39,9411,225th highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 54.0%995th highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 77.6%794th highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 68.0%560th most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1119617th highest of 1,022 reporting
- Median ACT
- 23493rd highest of 952 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 16,115154th largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 17.0:11,581st smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 31.4%1,109th highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 26 mi (BNA)
On 2 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 69 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $70,680 | — |
| Construction ManagementBusiness | bachelors | $66,653 | $66,541 |
| Computer Science | bachelors | $62,111 | $54,192 |
| Engineering-Related FieldsEngineering Technology | bachelors | $57,943 | $58,943 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $54,970 | $55,061 |
| Engineering Technology, GeneralEngineering Technology | bachelors | $52,107 | $47,729 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $49,899 | $44,765 |
| Air TransportationTransportation | bachelors | $47,260 | $43,240 |
| Management Information Systems and ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $45,891 | $46,193 |
| Business/Managerial EconomicsBusiness | bachelors | $43,240 | $38,289 |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $41,007 | $41,789 |
| MarketingBusiness | bachelors | $40,821 | $38,469 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1911source
- Athletic nickname: "Blue Raiders"source
- Competes in NCAA Division Isource
- Mascot: Lightningsource
- Motto: "Agriculture and Commerce"source
- Formerly known as "Middle Tennessee State Normal School" (1911–1925)source
- Formerly known as "Middle Tennessee State Teachers College" (1925–1943)source
- Formerly known as "Middle Tennessee State College" (1943–1965)source
- Athletic conference: FBSsource
- A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
- A Space-grant]]}} institutionsource
- Football rivalry: 100 Miles of Hate (since 1914)source
- Plays for the "The Palladium Trophy" (since 1936)source
- Fight song: ""MTSU Fight Song""source
- Notable alum: Amy Leesource
- Notable alum: James M. Buchanansource
- Notable alum: Sondra Lockesource
- Notable alum: John Peerssource
- Notable alum: Julien Bakersource
Athletics — 9 sports
NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $9,874,085 (M $6,256,620 · W $3,617,465)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Golf
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Middle Tennessee State University’s 16,115 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In TN
- University of MemphisMemphis, TN · 13,645 undergrads
- The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN · 9,878 undergrads
- East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN · 9,807 undergrads
- Tennessee Technological UniversityCookeville, TN · 8,495 undergrads
- Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN · 7,365 undergrads
- Belmont UniversityNashville, TN · 7,306 undergrads
Elsewhere
- South Texas CollegeMcAllen, TX · 16,131 undergrads
- San Antonio CollegeSan Antonio, TX · 16,067 undergrads
- Capella UniversityMinneapolis, MN · 16,173 undergrads
- Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY · 15,935 undergrads
- San Diego Mesa CollegeSan Diego, CA · 15,899 undergrads
- Miami University-OxfordOxford, OH · 16,361 undergrads
Key links
- Official websitemtsu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 220978)
- Compare colleges in TNRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in TennesseeEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Compare with University of MemphisSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Middle Tennessee State University vs University of MemphisHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 9 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.