Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN
69.1%
Acceptance Rate
$10,266
Avg Cost (In-State)
$31,574
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
53.9%
Graduation Rate
16,301
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
Rolling admissions
Common App
No
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$25
Interview
Not required
Essays: No essay required for general admission
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$39,941
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$48,541
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
54%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | $45,074 | $54,747 | 343 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $29,877 | $45,155 | 259 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management. | $27,172 | $46,349 | 258 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $44,608 | $63,928 | 240 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | $38,272 | $49,997 | 216 |
| Psychology, General. | $32,433 | $43,826 | 210 |
| Journalism. | $30,659 | $49,932 | 182 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | $37,952 | $55,481 | 172 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Tennessee HOPE Scholarship
~$20k valueTN HOPE pays $1,750-$5,500 per year at any TN public or eligible private 4-year university for residents with 3.0 GPA or 21 ACT / 1060 SAT.
Who it helps: Tennessee residents enrolling full-time at any TN 2- or 4-year college within 16 months of HS graduation.
How to use: File FAFSA by Feb 1. School determines eligibility automatically from your transcripts and test scores.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Vanderbilt Opportunity Vanderbilt (no-loan aid)
100% demonstrated need met without loans
universityAll admitted Vanderbilt students with demonstrated financial need; institutional aid replaces loans entirely.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA priority dates
Learn more ↗Vanderbilt Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship
Full tuition + summer stipend
universityTop ~250 incoming Vanderbilt freshmen with academic + leadership distinction.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗UT Knoxville Volunteer Scholarship
$1,500-$10,000/year (multiple tiers)
universityTiered automatic merit grid by ACT/SAT + GPA for in-state and OOS.
Deadline: December 15 (priority)
Learn more ↗TN Aspire Award
$2,250/year (in addition to HOPE)
stateTN HOPE scholarship recipients from families with income under $36,000.
Deadline: FAFSA + HOPE eligibility
Learn more ↗Tennessee Promise (CC Free)
Last-dollar full tuition at TN CCs + TCATs
stateTN HS grads enrolling at TN community/technical college within 16 months, mentor commitment, 8 hours community service per term.
Deadline: November 1 senior year
Learn more ↗Tennessee Reconnect
Free tuition at TN CCs for adults
stateTN adult learners (independent of parents) at TN community colleges.
Deadline: FAFSA + apply
Learn more ↗Vanderbilt Ingram Scholars Program
Full tuition + $2,500 service stipend each summer
universityTop ~15-20 Vandy freshmen committed to lifelong service careers.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗TN Helping Heroes Grant
Up to $1,000-$2,000/semester
stateTN veterans of Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts or Operation Enduring Freedom.
Deadline: September 1 / February 1
Learn more ↗Vanderbilt Chancellor's Scholarship
Full tuition
universityTop Vandy incoming freshmen with sustained academic excellence; competitive process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 69.1% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
69.09%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
38.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
30.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
92.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
28.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
43.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
75.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
51.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Not considered
Visits, info sessions and opening emails don't move the needle here.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University at Albany
Albany, NY
69.1% acceptance
Both admit around 69% of applicants, with 13k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL
69.8% acceptance
Both admit around 70% of applicants, with 11k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, GA
67.9% acceptance
Both admit around 68% of applicants, with 16k undergrads and a r campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
72% acceptance
Similar selectivity (72% vs 69%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $32k.
Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN
76.1% acceptance
Similar selectivity (76% vs 69%) but out-of-state cost runs $16k — meaningfully less than $32k.
University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, GA
67.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (68% vs 69%) but out-of-state cost runs $17k — meaningfully less than $32k.
Reaches above this college
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
24.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (24% vs 69%) — a stretch target if Middle Tennessee State University is already on your list.
University of Virginia-Main Campus
Charlottesville, VA
16.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (17% vs 69%) — a stretch target if Middle Tennessee State University is already on your list.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
16.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (17% vs 69%) — a stretch target if Middle Tennessee State University is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
80% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but higher admit rate (80% vs 69%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA
86.4% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but higher admit rate (86% vs 69%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA
87.9% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but higher admit rate (88% vs 69%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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