MSU soars even higher, earns best ranking to date
A year after earning the highest ranking in its history, Morehead State University is still climbing the rankings charts in U.S. News & World Report. For 2025, Morehead State is now #12 among all top public regional universities in the South—a new best-ever ranking for the University.
This improved ranking reflects Morehead State University's emphasis on quality academic programs, opportunities to gain real-world experience, and a welcoming sense of community. Now in its 41st year, the rankings evaluate nearly 1,500 national colleges and universities on up to 17 academic quality measures and emphasize social mobility and outcomes for graduating college students.
In the University Regional South Category, U.S. News & World Report also recognized Morehead State as one of the Best Colleges for Veterans, Best Value Schools, and Undergraduate Teaching, as well as one of the Top Performers on Social Mobility.
“We are proud of the advances in our rankings over the past few years. Reaching the Top 15 last year was remarkable, and now we’ve advanced to #12,” said MSU President Dr. Jay Morgan. “We are moving MSU forward with new and improved academic and residential facilities while emphasizing our academic quality and affordability. This recognition shows that we are headed in the right direction as we strive to be a great university in the South.”
The rankings emphasize acceptance rates, graduation rates, admissions selectivity, faculty rankings, and small class sizes.
Morehead State University recently saw another significant increase in enrollment and celebrated state-leading graduation rates.
Class size and personal attention have always been strengths of Morehead State. A small student-faculty ratio (16:1) and an average class size of 17 allow for more significant one-on-one time with the University's experienced and dedicated faculty and staff.
The rankings include public institutions with bachelor's degrees in 12 states of the South, and they will appear in the magazine's "Best Colleges of 2025" guidebook in early October.
Morehead State provides services and resources to guide and support students through their college experience and is undergoing significant changes, including the construction of new facilities and residence halls, to meet students' needs.
For more information on why Morehead State University is a worthwhile investment for your education, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/apply.
