Murray State University receives multiple recent accolades

 

MURRAY, Ky. — Murray State University’s Registered Nursing (RN) program was recently recognized by NursingExplorer.com as #4 in Kentucky for 2025. Murray State earned this placement with an impressive 94.48% weighted average National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate.

“Our state rankings use a weighted average of NCLEX pass rates from the past three years,” Kim Carlson of NursingExplorer.com explained via email. “We weight by the number of test takers and apply a recency factor that gives more weight to recent results. For RN rankings in Kentucky, we group all RN programs together under state board reporting.”

“We are incredibly proud to be ranked the #4 nursing program in Kentucky,” said Dr. Tonia Mailow, Murray State University professor and Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program chair. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our outstanding faculty, the hard work and professionalism of our students, and the strong clinical partnerships we have built across the region. Our mission is to prepare practice-ready, compassionate nurses who are equipped to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our communities. We are grateful to our clinical partners, alumni and the communities we serve for their continued trust and collaboration. Most importantly, we celebrate our students, whose commitment to excellence truly represents the heart of our program.”

View the full top 10 list at bit.ly/4tYBnpQ.

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Murray State University’s nursing program also earned recognition as one of the best in 2026 by RegisteredNursing.org.

The Family Nurse Practitioner Program is ranked third in Kentucky.

“This recognition goes beyond a ranking,” said RegisteredNursing.org Outreach Coordinator Sally Worthington in her email informing the program of its ranking. “It reflects the dedication of your faculty, staff and students in building a rigorous academic experience that prepares graduates to enter nursing careers with confidence.”

“These program distinctions for the Family Nurse Practitioner Program and Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program are indicative of the faculty’s expertise, educational preparation and commitment to the students and the profession,” said Dr. Dina Byers, dean of the Murray State University School of Nursing and Health Professions. “These rankings reflect the graduates' strong performance on the NCLEX and certification exams and strong clinical partnerships. Murray State University graduates are impacting healthcare in primary care and rural health. These rankings demonstrate academic excellence and confirm our mission and commitment to improving health outcomes in the communities we serve. We are thankful to our faculty, staff, clinical partners and preceptors whose dedication makes this success possible. We look forward to continuing to expand access, innovation and excellence in nursing education.”

Find the full rankings at bit.ly/4rHKUzw.

For full details on how the rankings are determined, review the methodology at bit.ly/4tSEiAn.

To learn more about Murray State’s nursing program, visit murraystate.edu/nursing.

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Murray State University was ranked #98 in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for its undergraduate business programs.

Find the full rankings at usnews.com/education/online-education.

Murray State University’s Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business is proud to be accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which is the hallmark of excellence in business education. To learn more about Murray State’s online undergraduate business programs, visit bit.ly/4rRzcT0.