Morgan State University

Morgan State University offers accessible entry for broad pools of applicants, though its standing on national lists has shifted over time. In the US News rankings, the university held the 317th position in 2027, having moved from 230 in 2019. Admission criteria remain non-restrictive, with the university posting an overall acceptance rate of 82.2% in 2025. While securing an offer is comparatively straightforward, the university experiences challenges in convincing admitted applicants to register. The undergraduate yield rate was 12.4% in 2025, higher than 3% of institutions in its comparison group of 30 public comprehensive universities with similar rankings. Such a modest yield demonstrates that Morgan State is frequently evaluated alongside other options rather than retaining the vast majority of its admitted pool. For prospective families weighing admissions viability, meeting baseline academic standards provides a high likelihood of acceptance, while student enrollment choices indicate that applicants actively explore alternatives before committing.

Morgan State University maintains accessible academic criteria for incoming undergraduates, reflecting score levels below those of its national peers. In 2025, the median SAT score among enrolled students was 970, which was lower than all peer schools in its comparison group of public comprehensive universities with similar rankings. Among applicants submitting standardized testing, the middle 50% ACT composite range spanned from 16 to 21 in 2025. Standardized test submission has become less common across incoming classes, with only 22% of enrolled first-year students submitting SAT scores in 2025. These testing metrics indicate that applicants do not need elite standardized scores to remain viable candidates. While prospective students presenting test scores within or above these mid-ranges demonstrate solid alignment with the academic profile of enrolled peers, admissions evaluation places substantial emphasis on the broader high school academic record.

Undergraduate degrees at Morgan State University are moderately distributed rather than heavily concentrated in a handful of fields. In 2025, the top three bachelor's degree programs accounted for 28.6% of all undergraduate completions, led by Business Administration and Management, General, alongside Psychology, General. While the largest undergraduate majors are focused on general business and social sciences, the institution's highest nationally recognized academic strengths emerge at the graduate level. In the US News rankings, the graduate social work program achieved a rank of 60 in 2024, and the international trade MBA program secured a rank of 96 in 2026. At the undergraduate level, technical disciplines produce the strongest financial outcomes shortly after graduation. According to 2023 earnings data, bachelor's graduates in Computer and Information Sciences, General, earned median salaries of $83,099 one year out, while Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering graduates earned $81,249. Prospective students should recognize that while broad liberal arts and business enroll large cohorts, specialized engineering and graduate programs represent the university's strongest credentials and earnings potential.

Morgan State University enrolls a student body that reflects its historical roots, with Black students forming the predominant demographic across all academic divisions. Women constitute a clear majority of both undergraduate and graduate cohorts. Asian student enrollment remains minimal across the university, comprising 4 incoming first-year undergraduates and a comparably small cohort at the graduate level. International student representation differs sharply between degree levels. In 2025, the incoming undergraduate class included 108 international students, representing 4.5% of entering freshmen. At the advanced study level, international presence is much more pronounced, totaling 468 graduate students. For prospective applicants, these figures highlight a domestic undergraduate environment centered around its traditional mission, coupled with an advanced graduate division that draws noticeable enrollment from abroad.

Undergraduate life at Morgan State University is centered on traditional college-age students, while graduate enrollment is distributed across older adults. In 2025, students aged 20 to 21 formed the largest undergraduate cohort at 33.7%, followed by those aged 18 to 19 at 20.4%, creating a campus community largely composed of young adults. In contrast, advanced degree programs draw a more mature demographic. Graduate students aged 25 to 29 represented 20.1% of enrollment, while those aged 40 to 49 accounted for 19.3%. For applicants, this means undergraduates share classes with peers near typical college age, whereas graduate cohorts bring together both early-career students and mid-career adults.

International enrollment at Morgan State University is concentrated primarily in advanced degree programs, though undergraduate representation remains high relative to similar institutions. In 2025, international students represented 6.3% of the undergraduate student body. This proportion was higher than 93% of peer institutions in a comparison group of public comprehensive universities with similar rankings. In graduate programs, international participation is substantially deeper, with overseas students accounting for 27.3% of total graduate enrollment in 2025. Among degree earners, international graduates cluster heavily in scientific, quantitative, and professional disciplines rather than general humanities. At the master's level in 2025, international scholars were particularly prominent in technical training, receiving 54.5% of all conferred master's degrees in Computer Science. For international applicants, Morgan State provides an established global cohort within graduate technical departments, whereas undergraduate campus life remains predominantly domestic despite comparing favorably to regional peers.

Applicants exploring colleges near Morgan State University have multiple alternative options within the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan regions. Located just 2.2 kilometers away in Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a leading national university ranked 9th in the 2027 rankings. Approximately 9.1 kilometers away, University of Maryland-Baltimore County offers another public national university pathway, holding a rank of 137. For students considering specialized institutions or liberal arts colleges slightly farther out, St. John's College is located 25.6 kilometers away in Annapolis and ranked 81st among national liberal arts colleges, while the United States Naval Academy, also in Annapolis at a distance of 25.7 kilometers, holds the 3rd spot on the national liberal arts list.

Campus safety records at Morgan State University show that reported infractions are largely driven by disciplinary substance violations rather than severe violent offenses. The institution's crime rate per 1,000 students was 10.2 in 2025. Over the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, administrative disciplinary actions represented the vast majority of recorded campus incidents, led by 188 drug disciplinary referrals and 92 alcohol disciplinary referrals. Among criminal offenses logged during the same 2023 to 2025 window, the most frequent categories involved 50 dating violence incidents, followed by burglaries, rapes, and motor vehicle thefts. The prevalence of student conduct enforcement indicates active internal campus policy monitoring. For families assessing the living environment, these records suggest that residential security concerns center on substance regulation and interpersonal conduct rather than broad waves of felony crimes, highlighting the importance of understanding standard university conduct expectations before moving into campus housing.