Bill Murray's education started at Dean Road Elementary, where he remained until he was 14. He went on to what were described as "Technical Evening Classes" in South Shields.

In 1907 he started gaining a significant number of certificates. The first was in Building Construction and the second was his City & Guilds Carpentry and Joinery certificate (1st Class). At this point, Murray up his first teaching post in October, 1908, when he joined his old school, Dean Road Elementary as a Handicraft Instructor. Over the next 18 months, he gained certificates in Geometrical Drawing and Solid Geometry.

During his summer holidays in 1910, he attended Scarborough Summer School and gained his City and Guilds Certificate in Woodwork. In 1911, he gained his Teacher's Certificates in Woodwork, Cardboard and Metalwork, and joined the Westoe Secondary School as a Handicrafts Instructor, going on the following year to gain Higher Certificates, all with distinction.

Later, in 1921, he gained his City and Guilds Certificate in Metalwork and in 1924 he became a Member of the College of Handicrafts.

Murray transferred to the Boys High School in 1936, where he stayed until his retirement in 1952.