Public · Missoula, Montana

The University of Montana

The University of Montana is a public institution in Missoula, Montana. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.

$16,784
Avg net price / yr
$44,511
10-yr median earnings
46.6%
150%-time completion
95.9%
Acceptance rate

The verdict

The University of Montana pairs above-median former-student earnings with open admission.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 40%
former-student earnings, US
95.9%
acceptance rate
46.6%
150%-time completion
+25%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Small Carnegie: R1
View my saved schools

Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this The University of Montana profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

D
College Value Score
48/100
The University of Montana

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings C
$44,511
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price C-
$16,784
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
46.6%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$22,400
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A-
77.5%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention D
74.8%
First-year students returning for year two
The University of Montana vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$44,511

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$16,784

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

46.6%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 46.6%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - The University of Montana vs peers

The University of Montana positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 7 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. The University of Montana positioned by earn… Carnegie Classification: R1 R1 COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $32K $57K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $7K $18K Avg Net Price ($) The University of Montana (you are here): $45K earn · $17K net · 47% grad You are here - The University of … Montana State University Billings: $44K earn · $17K net · 29% grad Montana State Univ… Montana Technological University: $54K earn · $16K net · 58% grad Montana Technologi… Flathead Valley Community College: $39K earn · $8K net · 28% grad Flathead Valley Co… The University of Montana-Western: $43K earn · $17K net · 50% grad The University of … Great Falls College Montana State University: $38K earn · $12K net · 33% grad Great Falls Colleg… Montana State University-Northern: $50K earn · $13K net · 42% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How The University of Montana ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

The University of Montana: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$44,511 Top 40% higher than 60% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric The University of Montana National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $44,511 #2066 of 5103 60th
Average net price $16,784 #2447 of 5020 51st (lower is better)
150%-time completion 46.6% #3210 of 4858 34th
Undergraduate enrollment 7,488 #498 of 5462 91st

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

7,488
Undergraduate enrollment
95.9%
Acceptance rate
1,190
SAT average
46.6%
150%-time completion
$44,511
10-yr median earnings
74.8%
First-year retention

How The University of Montana ranks in Montana

State rank among 25 reporting Montana colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric The University of Montana State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $44,511 #8 of 25 68th
Average net price $16,784 #22 of 26 15th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 46.6% #11 of 26 58th
Undergraduate enrollment 7,488 #2 of 27 93rd

Highest former-student earnings in Montana

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Carroll College$61,772$23,960
2Montana Technological University$54,329$16,481
3Highlands College of Montana Tech$54,329$14,962
4Montana State University$53,263$22,499
5Montana State University-Northern$49,505$12,664
6Rocky Mountain College$49,036$19,751
7University of Providence$48,296$17,649
8The University of MontanaThis school$44,511$16,784
9Montana State University Billings$44,296$16,524
10City College Montana State University Billings$44,296-
11The University of Montana-Western$43,229$16,558
12Miles Community College$42,862$10,405

Admissions

Admission Rate 95.9%
SAT Average 1,190
ACT Average 22
ACT (25th-75th) 23 – 28
0%100%95.9%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at The University of Montana

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at The University of Montana - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $8,552
Out-of-State Tuition $33,671
Average Net Price $16,784
28.0%
Pell Grant Rate
41.1%
Federal Loan Rate
$22,400
Median Debt
$237/mo
Monthly Payment

What students pay at The University of Montana rose +34.0% since 2013

Average net price for the reported Title IV-recipient cohort went from $12,776 in 2013 to $17,118 in 2023, a rise of $4,342 in nominal dollars. Across the 4,315 colleges measured over the same 2013–2023 span, the median change was +14.6%.

Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $12,7762014: $12,8632015: $12,6792016: $13,9782017: $15,0062018: $15,3532019: $15,2462020: $14,7552021: $13,7992022: $14,8562023: $17,118
2013 · $12,7762023 · $17,118

Over the same years, enrollment went -39.1% (11,630 → 7,079 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

55.4%
Female
30.2%
First Generation

Outcomes

74.8%
Retention Rate
$35,729
Median Earnings (6yr)
57.2%
Earning Over $25K
77.5%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 46.6%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 74.8%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $35,729
Median earnings 10 years after entry $44,511
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 57.2%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 77.5%
Median federal student debt At completion $22,400
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $237/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 34 1,015 $49,855 $91,943 $22,510
Master's 14 344 $64,474 $93,752 $44,231
Associate's 9 261 $60,183 $77,388 $22,242
First Professional 3 568 $103,557 $141,791 $72,788
Doctoral 1 8 - - -

Top programs at The University of Montana by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration First Professional 62 $141,791 $50,640
Accounting and Related Services Master's 21 $93,752 -
Computer and Information Sciences, General Bachelor's 0 $91,943 -
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 69 $91,218 $23,411
Law First Professional 82 $86,640 $72,126
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions First Professional 424 $82,240 $95,599
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Associate's 35 $77,388 $31,111
Management Information Systems and Services Bachelor's 67 $73,149 $21,500
Public Administration Master's 46 $65,365 $30,638
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Associate's 49 $64,057 $18,167
Educational Administration and Supervision Master's 14 $62,539 -
Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's 23 $61,408 $23,181
Forestry Bachelor's 15 $60,526 -
Social Work Master's 27 $60,362 $49,389
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 46 $57,892 $20,359

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at The University of Montana?
The University of Montana is a public institution in Missoula, Montana. The acceptance rate is 95.9%. The average SAT score is 1,190. Undergraduate enrollment is 7,488 students.
How much do The University of Montana former students earn?
Federally aided former students at The University of Montana who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $44,511 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $35,729.
How much does The University of Montana cost?
The average net price at The University of Montana is $16,784. In-state tuition is $8,552 and out-of-state tuition is $33,671. Median student debt at graduation is $22,400.
What is the graduation rate at The University of Montana?
The University of Montana has a 46.6% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 74.8%.
Is The University of Montana worth the student debt?
The median student debt at The University of Montana is $22,400, while former students earn a median of $44,511 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 50% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 77.5% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $237.

Sources & methodology

Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.

Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from The University of Montana

Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.