Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey · Public · 87.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 71/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Montclair State scores 71 (Fair Value). The 64.7% completion rate is passable but not strong. Business Administration is the largest single program with 658 graduates; Registered Nursing (45 graduates, $104,219 year one) is the clearest economic standout. Students who major in performing arts, fine arts, dance, or communications face debt-to-earnings ratios that range from 0.87 to 1.35 - territory where repayment becomes genuinely strained.
Montclair State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,912/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $26,022/yr |
| Average net price | $15,566/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $62,264 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $61,415 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $233 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 64.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 18,376 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $15,912/year ($26,022/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $15,566/year, or roughly $62,264 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $10,880/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,573/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $22,000, which works out to about $233 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($38,200) and comes to 0.58, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $10,880 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,532 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,388 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,058 |
| $110,001+ | $25,573 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Pell-eligible families in the 0-$30,000 bracket pay $10,880 per year. The 47% Pell rate confirms Montclair serves a significant low-income population. For low-income students who complete a degree in nursing, accounting, or CS, the financial case is defensible. For those entering arts or social sciences, the debt load against likely starting wages creates strain.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $16,388 and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket jumps to $22,058. Middle-income families get less subsidy, and the school's payback period is 7.7 years. At $22,058 net price for the upper-middle bracket, families should scrutinize program choice carefully before committing.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000 or more pay $25,573 per year - $102,000 over four years. At a 7.7-year payback and $38,200 average six-year earnings, the full-price case at Montclair is weak unless the student is in nursing or a high-earning STEM field.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Montclair State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $68,235 | C+ |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $53,575 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $59,247 | D |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $58,236 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $79,692 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $58,308 | D |
| Biology | $67,541 | C |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $62,999 | D |
| English Language and Literature | $45,337 | D |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $50,790 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the top earner at Montclair by a wide margin: 45 graduates earn $104,219 at year one and $109,167 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.259 (ROI grade B+). Median debt of $27,031 is manageable against these earnings. The New Jersey RN market is well-compensated.
Accounting
Accounting (95 graduates) earns $56,917 at year one and $84,906 at year four with a B-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.360. This is Montclair's strongest high-volume business program - the New York metro accounting market provides solid placement for graduates willing to pursue CPA licensure.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is the largest program at 658 graduates, but outcomes are mediocre: $42,336 year one, $68,235 year four, with a C+-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.530. The four-year trajectory to $68k relies heavily on the New Jersey metro market rewarding Montclair business graduates.
Computer and Information Sciences
CS (146 graduates) earns $46,739 at year one and $79,692 at year four with a C+-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.503. Median debt of $23,501 is moderate. CS is one of Montclair's clearer value propositions.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Theatre (68 graduates) earns only $18,474 at year one and $39,248 at year four - an F-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.354. Graduates carry $25,022 in median debt and earn less in their first year than the interest on that debt implies. This is the worst-performing program at Montclair on a debt-to-earnings basis. The New York metro arts market is competitive; most Montclair theatre graduates will not be compensated at levels that justify the borrowing.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication (170 graduates) is the second-largest arts-adjacent program: $28,062 year one, $59,247 year four, with a D-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.881. The gap between year-one and year-four earnings is wide - suggesting many graduates spend years in low-wage media adjacent roles before finding more stable employment. Median debt of $24,713 against $28,062 starting wages creates a real repayment challenge in the first few post-graduation years.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 66.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 71.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 74.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Montclair State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 87.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 430-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 480-620 |
| Enrollment | 18,376 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 47.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,540 |
Montclair admits 87.9% of applicants with SAT Math ranging 430-590 and SAT Reading 480-620; no ACT data is reported. This is an open-access institution in practice - almost any academically prepared New Jersey resident who applies will be admitted. The admissions process is not where selectivity happens at Montclair; major selection and program completion are the decisions that matter most.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Montclair's ROI score is 71 and its completion rate is 64.7%.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montclair State University (this school) | 71 | $15,566 | $61,415 |
| Illinois State University | 74 | $19,398 | $62,117 |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 68 | $17,747 | $56,887 |
| University of Oregon | 68 | $22,182 | $61,324 |
| Rowan University | 66 | $22,408 | $59,988 |
| Bloomfield College of Montclair State University | 50 | $28,014 | $61,415 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Montclair State University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
The 87.9% acceptance rate and open-enrollment posture mean admission is not a barrier. Students drawn to creative programs - music, theatre, dance, film, fine arts - should understand these paths generate modest wages for most graduates and carry F-grade debt-to-earnings ratios at this institution. With 18,376 undergraduates, Montclair offers scale and program breadth, but class quality and career services are inconsistent across departments.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Montclair State University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $15,566 a year after aid ($62,264 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $61,415 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates.
Median debt of $22,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $38,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Montclair State University: Common Questions
Is Montclair State University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Montclair State University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 71/100 on our ROI scale. At $15,566 a year after aid ($62,264 over four years) against $61,415 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Montclair State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $15,566 a year, or roughly $62,264 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Montclair State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $61,415 ten years after enrolling, roughly $19,615 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Montclair State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 7.7 years for Montclair State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Montclair State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $22,000, against average earnings of $38,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Montclair State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 64.7%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.