Montana State University

www.montana.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$5,654

2021 Average Net Price

$17,821

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

1.2%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

73%

26,741 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

16,788

77.3% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

54%

1,350 Graduates

About

Montana State University is a higher education institution located in Gallatin County, MT. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Montana State University were General Business (282 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (243 degrees), and General Family & Consumer Sciences (164 degrees).

In 2021, 3,410 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Montana State University. 53% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 47% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,918 degrees), 19.6 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, two or more races (149 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Montana State University is $5,654, which is $−23,338 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by Tim Evanson

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Montana State University is $5,654, which is $−23,338 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $17,821.

In 2021, 69% of undergraduate students attending Montana State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 34% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$5,654

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Montana State University was $5,654. The cost of tuition at Montana State University is $−23,338 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Montana State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$17,821

2021 Value

0.935%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Montana State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $17,821. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Montana State University grew by 0.935%.

This chart compares the average net price of Montana State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$10,400

Room and Board

$1,450

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Montana State University was of $10,400 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 0.971% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,450. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Montana State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

69%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

34%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

69% of undergraduate students at Montana State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 15% with respect to 2020, when 60% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Montana State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.2%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Montana State University was 1.2%, which represents 36 out of the 2992 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Montana State University received 26,741 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 41.5% annual growth. Out of those 26,741 applicants, 19,522 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 73% acceptance rate.

There were 16,788 students enrolled at Montana State University in 2021. 26% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Montana State University has an overall enrollment yield of 19.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

73%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

19,522

Accepted Out of 26,741

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Montana State University was 73% (19,522 admissions from 26,741 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 80.8%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 41.5%, while admissions grew by 27.9%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Montana State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

26%

Submission Percentage (2021)

1,017

Scores Submitted (2021)

26% of enrolled first-time students at Montana State University in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Montana State University had a total enrollment of 16,788 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Montana State University is 12,984 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,804. This means that 77.3% of students enrolled at Montana State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Montana State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 83.4% White, 5.15% Two or More Races, 5.03% Hispanic or Latino, 1.57% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.08% Asian, 0.459% Black or African American, and 0.0774% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Montana State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (45.7%), followed by White Female (38.8%) and Two or More Races Male (2.77%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (48.3%), followed by White Male (31.5%) and Two or More Races Female (2.85%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

77.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Montana State University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 16,788 students. The full-time enrollment at Montana State University is 12,984 and the part-time enrollment is 3,804. This means that 77.3% of students enrolled at Montana State University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Montana State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

76%

2021 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. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Montana State University was 76%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Montana State University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Montana State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
14,004 enrolled students
Two or More Races
864 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
845 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Montana State University is 83.4% White, 5.15% Two or More Races, 5.03% Hispanic or Latino, 1.57% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.08% Asian, 0.459% Black or African American, and 0.0774% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 152 students (0.905%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 206 more women than men received degrees from Montana State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Montana State University is white (2,918 degrees awarded). There were 19.6 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, two or more races (149 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Montana State University is General Business (282 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (243 degrees) and General Family & Consumer Sciences (164 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Montana State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Architecture and Related Services (76 degrees awarded), Human Sciences (200 degrees), and Agriculture (106 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Software developers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Montana State University are Software developers (391,538 people), Other managers (358,362 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (335,307 people), Civil engineers (263,800 people), and Mechanical engineers (191,776 people).

The most specialized majors at Montana State University in 2021 are Architecture and Related Services (76 degrees awarded), Human Sciences (200 degrees), Agriculture (106 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (83 degrees), and Engineering (501 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Montana State University are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Physicians, and Nurse anesthetists

The most specialized majors at Montana State University are Architecture and Related Services (76 degrees awarded), Human Sciences (200 degrees), Agriculture (106 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (83 degrees), and Engineering (501 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Architectural, engineering & related services

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Montana State University are Architectural, engineering & related services (552,402 people), Computer Systems Design (429,388 people), Construction (323,030 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (226,969 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (195,571 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Montana State University.

Most Common (2021)

General Business
282 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
243 degrees awarded
General Family & Consumer Sciences
164 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Montana State University was General Business with 282 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Montana State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,602

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

1,808

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 1,602 degrees were awarded to men at Montana State University, which is 0.886 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,808).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Montana State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 182 degrees were awarded to men at Montana State University in General Business, which is 1.82 times more than the 100 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 221 degrees were awarded to men at Montana State University in Registered Nursing, which is 6.91 times more than the 32 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

27%

100% Completion Time

56%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 27% of students graduating from Montana State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 56% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 59% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (72.7%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Montana State University is Female and Asian (72.7% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.889% of graduates (12 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
2,918 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
149 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
131 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Montana State University is white (2,918 degrees awarded). There were 19.6 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, two or more races (149 degrees).

1.14% of degree recipients (39 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
1,551 degrees awarded
White Male
1,367 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
79 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Montana State University is white female (1,551 degrees awarded). There were 1.13 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1367 degrees).

Operations

Montana State University has an endowment valued at nearly $166M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 3.28M (1.97%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, Montana State University had a total salary expenditure of 530M. Montana State University employs 203 Professors, 176 Associate professors and 112 Assistant professors. Most academics at Montana State University are Male Professor (143), Female Associate professor (92), and Male Associate professor (84).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Montana State University are: Service, with 270 employees, Research, with 261 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 258 employees.

Endowment

$166M

2021 Endowment

2.85%

growth from 2020

Montana State University has an endowment valued at about $166M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Montana State University grew 2.85% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $221M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Montana State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$226M

2021 Salaries

2.06%

growth from 2020

In 2021, Montana State University paid a median of $226M in salaries, which represents 42.7% of their overall expenditure ($530M) and a 2.06% growth from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$53.7M

Instructional Salaries

613

Number of Employees

In 2021, Montana State University paid a total of $53.7M to 613 employees working as instructors, which represents 23.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

203 Employees

Service

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

270 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Montana State University were Professor with 203 employees, Associate professor with 176 employees, and Assistant professor with 112 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Montana State University were Service with 270 employees, Research with 261 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 258 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Associate professor
Male Associate professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Montana State University was Male Professor with 143 employees, Female Associate professor with 92 employees, and Male Associate professor with 84 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Montana State University.