Montana State University — College Profile

About

Montana State University in Bozeman is a premier public R1 research institution renowned for its standout programs in engineering, agriculture, ecology, and the health sciences. As the state’s land-grant flagship, MSU is distinguished by its heavy emphasis on hands-on undergraduate research, often utilizing the neighboring Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem as an outdoor living laboratory. Campus culture is deeply shaped by an adventurous, close-knit student body that balances academics with world-class skiing, mountain recreation, and passionate Bobcat athletics.

Wikipedia:Montana State University (MSU) is a public land-grant research university in Bozeman, Montana, United States. It enrolls more students than any other college or university in the state. MSU offers baccalaureate degrees in 60 fields, master's degrees in 68, and doctoral degrees in 35 through its nine colleges. More than 16,700 students attended MSU in fall 2019, taught by 796 full-time and 547 part-time faculty. In the Carnegie Classification, MSU is placed among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity", one of only two universities in Montana to receive this distinction with a "very high undergraduate" enrollment profile. The university had research expenditures of $257.9 million in 2024.

Location

Bozeman, MT, 59717 · City campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

SLC · Salt Lake City

340 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

These figures are federal data and may be out of date.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition & fees$8,460$33,287

Housing & food (on campus)$14,000$14,000

Books & supplies$1,450$1,450

Cost of attendance$25,905$50,732 est.

Average net price$22,499Not published

Out-of-state prices

Tuition & fees$33,287

In-state: $8,460

Housing & food (on campus)$14,000

Books & supplies$1,450

Cost of attendance$50,732 est.

In-state: $25,905

Average net priceNot published

In-state: $22,499

est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24

$0–30k

$17,797

$30–48k

$18,570

$48–75k

$21,977

$75–110k

$24,732

$110k+

$25,905

Your family's actual price → Montana State University net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Merit aid · 2025-26

Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.

Average award$2,857

Share of first-years who get one20%

Source: Montana State University's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

57%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

37%

Back for yr 2

79%

Transferred

23%

8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students

60% graduated · 24% transferred · 1% still enrolled · 15% left or unknown

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$44,757

10 yrs after entry$53,263

Debt

Median at graduation$22,500

Monthly payment$239

Middle 50% owe$5.5k–$26k

90th percentile$36,500

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

82%

Test policy

Test optional

Per College Scorecard

SAT average

1183

R 540–645 · M 525–640

ACT midpoint

Comp 21–27 · E 20–27 · M 19–27

SAT middle 50%: 1065–1285

40080012001600

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Essay prompts

How much essays count at Montana State University: Not considered (one of four levels: very important · important · considered · not considered)

Source: Montana State University's Common Data Set for 2025-26 — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

If Montana State University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Gender

Men 54%Women 47%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

18 : 1

Pell grant

16%

First-gen

23%

Family income

$56,045

Independent

18%

Veterans

Age at entry

21.0

Part-time

11%

Race & ethnicity

White

83%

Hispanic

Black

Asian

Two or more

Non-resident

AI/AN

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division I-FCS · EADA 2024-25

Basketball
Men's · Women's
Football
Men's
Golf
Women's
Skiing
Men's · Women's
Tennis
Men's · Women's
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021

After 6 yrs

$44,757

After 10 yrs

$53,263

Business/Commerce, General291

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing284

Mechanical Engineering171

Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General145

Psychology, General140

Computer Science102

Biology, General100

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods76

Civil Engineering73

Chemical Engineering70

Film/Video and Photographic Arts65

Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences60

English Language and Literature, General56

Microbiological Sciences and Immunology56

Animal Sciences49

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities48

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$313M

Full-time faculty

58%

Faculty salary

$9,762/mo

Teaching spend

$9,613

per student

Federal loans

31%

Classification

Carnegie type

Doctoral University

Research activity

R1 — very high research

$258M research spending · 85 research doctorates a year

Undergraduate profile

Four-year, selective admissions