The University of Montana-Western

umwestern.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$5,039

4% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$16,745

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

99.8%

1,371 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

1,358

76.4% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

53.7%

80 Graduates

About

The University of Montana-Western is a higher education institution located in Beaverhead County, MT. In 2024, the most popular Associates Degree concentrations at The University of Montana-Western were General Education (55 degrees awarded), Early Childhood Education & Teaching (26 degrees), and General Studies (24 degrees).

In 2024, 441 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at The University of Montana-Western. 68.9% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 31.1% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (344 degrees), 9.56 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, american indian or alaska native (36 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at The University of Montana-Western is $5,039, which is $−23,139 less than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,178).

Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields Baccalaureate Colleges

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at The University of Montana-Western is $5,039, which is $23,139 less than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,178).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $16,745.

In 2024, 66% of undergraduate students attending The University of Montana-Western received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 34% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$5,039

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at The University of Montana-Western was $5,039. The cost of tuition at The University of Montana-Western is $−23,139 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,178).

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

Average Net Price

$16,745

2024 Value

6.48%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 The University of Montana-Western had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $16,745. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of The University of Montana-Western grew by 6.48%.

This chart compares the average net price of The University of Montana-Western (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

$9,104

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at The University of Montana-Western was of $9,104 in 2024. The cost of room and board decreased by 3.89% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 7.69% during the same period.

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

Financial Aid by Income Level

66%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

34%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

66% of undergraduate students at The University of Montana-Western received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a decline of 24.1% with respect to 2023, when 87% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at The University of Montana-Western (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.

Admissions

The University of Montana-Western received 1,371 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 72.9% annual growth. Out of those 1,371 applicants, 1,368 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 99.8% acceptance rate.

There were 1,358 students enrolled at The University of Montana-Western in 2024. 15% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The University of Montana-Western has an overall enrollment yield of 16.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

99.8%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

1,368

Accepted Out of 1,371

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of The University of Montana-Western was 99.8% (1,368 admissions from 1,371 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 99.5%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 72.9%, while admissions grew by 73.4%.

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

SAT Scores

15%

Submission Percentage (2020)

Scores Submitted (2020)

15% of enrolled first-time students at The University of Montana-Western in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

The University of Montana-Western had a total enrollment of 1,358 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at The University of Montana-Western is 1,037 students and the part-time enrollment is 321. This means that 76.4% of students enrolled at The University of Montana-Western are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at The University of Montana-Western, both undergraduate and graduate, is 74.7% White, 5.01% Two or More Races, 4.71% Hispanic or Latino, 4.42% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.1% Black or African American, 0.515% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.442% Asian.

Students enrolled at The University of Montana-Western in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (50.2%), followed by White Male (30.3%) and Two or More Races Female (3.26%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (62.5%), followed by White Female (25%) and American Indian or Alaska Native Male (12.5%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

76.4%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at The University of Montana-Western in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 1,358 students. The full-time enrollment at The University of Montana-Western is 1,037 and the part-time enrollment is 321. This means that 76.4% of students enrolled at The University of Montana-Western are enrolled full-time compared with 78.9% at similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

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

Retention Rate over Time

79%

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. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at The University of Montana-Western was 79%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Baccalaureate Colleges (75%), The University of Montana-Western had a retention rate higher than its peers.

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

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
1,014 enrolled students
Two or More Races
68 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
64 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at The University of Montana-Western is 74.7% White, 5.01% Two or More Races, 4.71% Hispanic or Latino, 4.42% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.1% Black or African American, 0.515% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.442% Asian. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Baccalaureate Colleges is 50.5% White, 15.6% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.2% 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, 120 students (8.84%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 167 more women than men received degrees from The University of Montana-Western. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at The University of Montana-Western is white (344 degrees awarded). There were 9.56 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, american indian or alaska native (36 degrees).

The most common Associates Degree concentration at The University of Montana-Western is General Education (55 degrees awarded), followed by Early Childhood Education & Teaching (26 degrees) and General Studies (24 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at The University of Montana-Western, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Applied Sciences (19 degrees awarded), Education (236 degrees), and Agriculture (23 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The University of Montana-Western are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,529,727 people), Secondary school teachers (501,084 people), Education administrators (266,474 people), Special education teachers (202,759 people), and Other managers (191,871 people).

The most specialized majors at The University of Montana-Western in 2024 are Applied Sciences (19 degrees awarded), Education (236 degrees), Agriculture (23 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (13 degrees), and Interdisciplinary Studies (27 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The University of Montana-Western are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Nurse anesthetists, and Physicians

The most specialized majors at The University of Montana-Western are Applied Sciences (19 degrees awarded), Education (236 degrees), Agriculture (23 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (13 degrees), and Interdisciplinary Studies (27 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The University of Montana-Western are Elementary & secondary schools (2,813,739 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (315,293 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (268,615 people), Construction (123,326 people), and Computer Systems Design (116,474 people).

Majors Awarded

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

Early Childhood Education & Teaching

Most Common (2024)

7 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate concentration at The University of Montana-Western was Early Childhood Education & Teaching with 7 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate programs at The University of Montana-Western according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

137

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

304

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 137 degrees were awarded to men at The University of Montana-Western, which is 0.451 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (304).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at The University of Montana-Western by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 28 degrees were awarded to men at The University of Montana-Western in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.87 times more than the 15 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 64 degrees were awarded to men at The University of Montana-Western in Early Childhood Education & Teaching, which is 32 times more than the 2 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

25%

100% Completion Time

47%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 25% of students graduating from The University of Montana-Western completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 47% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 48% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Baccalaureate Colleges 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.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
344 degrees awarded
American Indian or Alaska Native
36 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
14 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at The University of Montana-Western is white (344 degrees awarded). There were 9.56 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, american indian or alaska native (36 degrees).

6.12% of degree recipients (27 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
328 degrees awarded
White Female
261 degrees awarded
White Female
256 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at The University of Montana-Western is white female (328 degrees awarded). There were 1.26 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (261 degrees).

Operations

The University of Montana-Western has an endowment valued at nearly $13M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 413k (3.17%) compared to the 7.58% average return (3.75M on 49.5M) across all Baccalaureate Colleges.

In 2024, The University of Montana-Western had a total salary expenditure of 33.8M. The University of Montana-Western employs 24 Professors, 16 Associate professors and 14 Instructors. Most academics at The University of Montana-Western are Male Professor (16), Female Instructor (12), and Female Professor (8).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at The University of Montana-Western are: Service, with 33 employees, Management, with 25 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 23 employees.

Endowment

$13M

2024 Endowment

70.9%

growth from 2023

The University of Montana-Western has an endowment valued at about $13M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of The University of Montana-Western grew 70.9% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $36.4M lower than than the median endowment of Baccalaureate Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

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

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$12M

2024 Salaries

2.7%

decline from 2023

In 2024, The University of Montana-Western paid a median of $12M in salaries, which represents 35.5% of their overall expenditure ($33.8M) and a 2.7% decline from the previous year. This is compared to a 15.4% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 0.443% decline between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$4.61M

Instructional Salaries

Number of Employees

In 2024, The University of Montana-Western paid a total of $4.61M to 65 employees working as instructors, which represents 38.5% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $522k (3.48%) for similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at The University of Montana-Western were Service with 33 employees, Management with 25 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 23 employees.

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