Marshall University
Huntington, WV 25755
About Marshall University
Marshall University is a public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, serving roughly 7,266 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 95.73% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $46,354 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Marshall University charges 66% above the national public median tuition ($9,162).
- Versus the West Virginia median, sticker tuition is 4% below.
- Average net price runs below the West Virginia median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 51.23%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $46,354.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Marshall University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1445% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Marshall University awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 101 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall University | $9,162 | $7,502 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| West Virginia (state median) | $9,574 | $9,114 | 36 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 18% below published tuition at Marshall University
Key findings
- Marshall University's average net price ($7,502) is 18% below published tuition ($9,162).
- Marshall University charges 66% above the national public median tuition ($9,162).
- Versus the West Virginia median, sticker tuition is 4% below.
- Average net price runs below the West Virginia median net price.
Marshall University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $9,162
Finding Marshall University charges 66% above the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $9,162. That is 66% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the West Virginia median ($9,574), sticker tuition is 4% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 23% below.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Marshall University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Marshall University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Marshall University is $7,502.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $7,502 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $1,612 below the West Virginia median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $7,469 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Marshall University’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 18% lower after grants and scholarships.
Marshall University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Marshall University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$9,162
Out-of-state tuition
$20,342
Avg. net price
$7,502
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $4,648 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $4,430 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $6,837 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $11,227 |
| $110,001+ | $15,076 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $36,648. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Marshall University is known for
Top program completions
- Business/Commerce, General251
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse247
- General Studies148
- Psychology, General118
- Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other113
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 28% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1061
- Midpoint ACT: 22
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Marshall University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Marshall University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Marshall University.
Campus
Location
Huntington, WV
City / state
- ZIP
- 25755
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 0.5× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Size
Enrollment
7,266
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 10,350
- Graduate
- 2,812
- Full-time share
- 93%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$23,250
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 38.68%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Marshall University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Marshall University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Marshall University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $6,216 | $14,446 | $8,402 |
| 2014 | $6,526 | $15,026 | $9,149 |
| 2015 | $6,814 | $15,602 | $9,508 |
| 2016 | $7,154 | $16,382 | $9,465 |
| 2017 | $7,798 | $17,856 | $9,484 |
| 2018 | $8,128 | $18,614 | $8,894 |
| 2019 | $8,412 | $19,266 | $8,370 |
| 2020 | $8,512 | $19,366 | $8,351 |
| 2021 | $8,552 | $19,606 | $8,706 |
| 2022 | $8,604 | $19,658 | $8,370 |
| 2023 | $8,942 | $20,294 | $8,327 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1061 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 22 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Marshall University reported total enrollment of about 7,266 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 44% male and 56% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (81.6%), Black or African American (5.4%), and Two or More Races (4.1%). About 38.68% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 37.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
93.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Marshall University in 2024 is 7,266 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 10,350 students. Graduate enrollment is about 2,812 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
72.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
32.31% 100% Completion Time
51.23% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 32.31% of students graduating from Marshall University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business/Commerce, General: 50% male / 50% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 16% male / 84% female
- General Studies: 41% male / 59% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Marshall University graduates earn a median of $46,354 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Marshall University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $46,354. Median federal loan debt: $23,250. Average net price used in cost models: $7,502.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Marshall University graduates report median earnings of $46,354 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Marshall University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (101 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Marshall University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Marshall University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Marshall University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$213.7M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- West Virginia median 18× the median ($11.7M)
- Southeast median 11× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 8.1× the median ($26.4M)
- West Virginia median 2.3× the median ($9,559)
- Southeast median 2.3× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 1.8× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 74.6%
- West Virginia median 15.9 pp above median (58.7%)
- Southeast median 15.2 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 16.7 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $8,576
- West Virginia median 1.4× the median ($6,342)
- Southeast median 1.3× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $10,515
- West Virginia median 1.4× the median ($7,346)
- Southeast median 1.6× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Marshall University at a glance
Marshall University
Marshall University is a public institution in Huntington, WV, classified as Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business/Commerce, GeneralRegistered Nursing/Registered NurseGeneral Studies
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian81.6%Black or African American5.4%Two or More Races4.1%
Schools near Marshall University
Other campuses in Huntington, WV when available, plus nearby institutions in West Virginia.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within West Virginia, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Marshall University located?
Marshall University is located in Huntington, WV.
What is Marshall University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Marshall University is 95.7% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 6,499 applicants and 6,269 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Marshall University's tuition?
Marshall University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $9,162 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $7,502 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Marshall University cost?
Reported tuition is $9,162 and average net price is $7,502 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $13,292 annually.
Why is Marshall University's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Marshall University, published tuition is $9,162 while average net price is $7,502—about 18% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Marshall University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($7,502), completion (51.2% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($46,354). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Marshall University?
Marshall University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 10,350 students, White (81.6%), Black or African American (5.4%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Marshall University?
About 37.4% of students at Marshall University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Marshall University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Marshall University reports midpoint SAT about 1061 and midpoint ACT about 22.
What do graduates of Marshall University earn?
Median earnings are $39,561 six years after entry and $46,354 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Marshall University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 51.2% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Marshall University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $23,250.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- West Virginia college profile
- West Virginia college costs
- West Virginia colleges by ROI
- West Virginia University vs Marshall University vs Fairmont State University
- Huntington, West Virginia city profile
- Southeast regional profile
- Town college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in West Virginia
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.