Montana State University

www.montana.edu/

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2019 Undergraduate Tuition

$5,654

0% growth from 2018

2019 Average Net Price

$16,746

After Financial Aid

2017 Student Loan

5.36%

Default Rate

2019 Acceptance Rate

81.9%

19,142 Applicants

2019 Enrolled Students

16,692

77% Full-Time

2018 Graduation Rate

56.8%

1,226 Graduates

About

Montana State University is a higher education institution located in Gallatin County, MT. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Montana State University were General Business (258 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (225 degrees), and General Family & Consumer Sciences (194 degrees).

In 2019, 3,362 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Montana State University. 49.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 50.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,715 degrees), 17.1 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, two or more races (159 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Montana State University is $5,654, which is $−22,846 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

Photo by Tim Evanson

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Montana State University is $5,654, which is $−22,846 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $16,746.

In 2019, 45% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 39% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$5,654

2019 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2019, the cost of tuition at Montana State University was $5,654. The cost of tuition at Montana State University is $−22,846 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

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

Average Net Price

$16,746

2019 Value

5.98%

1 Year Growth

In 2019 Montana State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $16,746. Between 2018 and 2019, the average net price of Montana State University grew by 5.98%.

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

$10,100

Room and Board

$1,450

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Montana State University was of $10,100 in 2019. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,450. The cost of room and board increased by 9.19% between 2018 and 2019. The cost of books and supplies increased by 7.41% during the same period.

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

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

45%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

39%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

45% of undergraduate students at Montana State University received grants or loans in 2019. This represents a growth of 2.27% with respect to 2018, when 44% 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.

5.36%

2017 Default Rate

158

Number of Defaults

In 2017 the default rate for borrower's at Montana State University was 5.36%, which represents 158 out of the 2946 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 19,142 undergraduate applications in 2019, which represents a 2.71% annual growth. Out of those 19,142 applicants, 15,684 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 81.9% acceptance rate.

There were 16,692 students enrolled at Montana State University in 2019, and 41% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Montana State University has an overall enrollment yield of 21.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

81.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2019

15,684

Accepted Out of 19,142

In 2019, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Montana State University was 81.9% (15,684 admissions from 19,142 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2018, which was 81.7%. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of applicants grew by 2.71%, while admissions grew by 3.01%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Montana State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

41%

Submission Percentage

1,370

Scores Submitted

41% of enrolled first-time students at Montana State University in 2019 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 has a total enrollment of 16,692 students. The full-time enrollment at Montana State University is 12,846 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,846. This means that 77% of students enrolled at Montana State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Montana State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 83.7% White, 4.86% Two or More Races, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.29% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.947% Asian, 0.413% Black or African American, and 0.0959% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Montana State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (45.6%), followed by White Female (39.1%) and Two or More Races Male (2.71%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (44.4%), followed by White Male (39.4%) and Two or More Races Female (2.46%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

77%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Montana State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 16,692 students. The full-time enrollment at Montana State University is 12,846 and the part-time enrollment is 3,846. This means that 77% of students enrolled at Montana State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.6% 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

77%

2019 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 77%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), 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

White
13,972
Two or More Races
811
Hispanic or Latino
735

The enrolled student population at Montana State University is 83.7% White, 4.86% Two or More Races, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.29% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.947% Asian, 0.413% Black or African American, and 0.0959% 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 50.3% White, 14.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.48% 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, 201 students (1.2%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2019, 34 fewer women than men received degrees from Montana State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Montana State University is white (2,715 degrees awarded). There were 17.1 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, two or more races (159 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Montana State University is General Business (258 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (225 degrees) and General Family & Consumer Sciences (194 degrees).

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 (74 degrees awarded), Agriculture (131 degrees), and Human Sciences (200 degrees).

Workforce

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 (447,070 people), Other managers (368,079 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (348,434 people), Civil engineers (276,490 people), and Mechanical engineers (205,566 people).

The most specialized majors at Montana State University are Architecture and Related Services (74 degrees awarded), Agriculture (131 degrees), Human Sciences (200 degrees), Engineering (554 degrees), and Physical Sciences (132 degrees).

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 Montana State University are Surgeons, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Diagnostic medical sonographers

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 (570,056 people), Computer Systems Design (456,924 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (334,572 people), Construction (329,383 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (229,419 people).

Degrees

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

General Business
258 degree-majorss awarded
Registered Nursing
225 degree-majorss awarded
General Family & Consumer Sciences
194 degree-majorss awarded

In 2019, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Montana State University was General Business with 258 degrees awarded.

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

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

1,698

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2019

1,664

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2019

In 2019, 1,698 degrees were awarded to men at Montana State University, which is 1.02 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,664).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2019, 168 degrees were awarded to men at Montana State University in General Business, which is 1.87 times more than the 90 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2019, 202 degrees were awarded to women at Montana State University in Registered Nursing, which is 6.52 times more than the 31 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

24%

100% Completion Time

54%

150% Completion Time

In 2019, 24% of students graduating from Montana State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 54% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 57% 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.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (75%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Montana State University is Female and Asian (75% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (69.1%).

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, 0.979% of graduates (12 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
2,715 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
159 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
143 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Montana State University is white (2,715 degrees awarded). There were 17.1 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, two or more races (159 degrees).

1.9% of degree recipients (64 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Male
1,363 degrees awarded
White Female
1,352 degrees awarded
Two or More Races Female
83 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Montana State University is white male (1,363 degrees awarded). There were 1.01 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (1,352 degrees).

Operations

Montana State University has an endowment valued at nearly $157M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $8.55M (5.45%), compared to the 4.24% average return ($13.2M on $311M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2019, Montana State University had a total salary expenditure of $491M. Montana State University employs 205 Professors, 186 Associate professors, and 176 Assistant professors. Most academics at Montana State University are Male Professors (153), Female Assistant professors(103), and Male Associate professors (95).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Montana State University are: Service, with 290 employees, Business and Financial Operations, with 234 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 215 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$157M

2019 Endowment

3.86%

decline from 2018

Montana State University has an endowment valued at about $157M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The endowment of Montana State University declined 3.86% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $154M 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.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$84.2M - Federal
$6.49M - State
$0 - Local

As of 2019, Montana State University received $84.2M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $6.49M from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$212M

2019 Salaries

5.75%

growth from 2018

In 2019, Montana State University paid a median of $212M in salaries, which represents 43.3% of their overall expenditure ($491M) and a 5.75% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 1.68% growth from 2017 and a 7.33% growth from 2016.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.4% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$59.2M

Instructional Salaries

751

Number of Employees

In 2019, Montana State University paid a total of $59.2M to 751 employees working as instructors, which represents 27.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71.1M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

205 Employees

Service

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

290 Employees

In 2019, the most common positions for instructional staff at Montana State University were Professor with 205 employees; Associate professor with 186 employees; and Associate professor with 176 employees.

In 2019, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Montana State University were Service with 290 employees; Business and Financial Operations with 234 employees; and Office and Administrative Support with 215 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Assistant professor
Male Associate professor

In 2019, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Montana State University was Male Professor with 153 employees, Female Assistant professor with 103 employees, and Male Associate professor with 95 employees.

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

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