The University of Montana-Western
Dillon, Montana · Public · 99.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 27/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
The University of Montana-Western receives a CampusROI score of 27 (Below Benchmark tier) under our methodology, alongside a 51.3% completion rate. Published tuition is $6,670 in state and $20,130 out of state, and the average net price is $16,558 per year, or $66,232 over four years of attendance (a cost figure, not a debt figure). The net price is higher than published tuition because it measures the full cost of attendance after grant aid, not tuition alone. Median debt at graduation is $21,000 against average earnings of $29,300 six years after entry, a 0.717 debt-to-earnings ratio, and median earnings reach $43,229 ten years after entry. Our model estimates a 25.1-year payback period. Three years after leaving, 70.0% of borrowers were making progress on repayment. Outcomes vary widely by program and by student, and these institution-level figures describe past cohorts rather than any individual result. Figures are from the 2024-2025 College Scorecard release.
How The University of Montana-Western scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score27/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period25.1 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
The University of Montana-Western
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $6,670/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $20,130/yr |
| Average net price | $16,558/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $66,232 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,229 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $29,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $223 |
| Estimated payback period | 25.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,198 |
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: $6,670/year ($20,130/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $16,558/year, or roughly $66,232 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 $14,822/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,125/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,000, which works out to about $223 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($29,300) and comes to 0.72, 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 | $14,822 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,058 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,951 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,785 |
| $110,001+ | $20,125 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 report an average net price of $14,822 per year, about $59,300 over four years. Institutional and outside aid can change this figure significantly for individual students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Families earning $30,001-$48,000 report an average net price of $14,058 per year, families earning $48,001-$75,000 report $15,951, and families earning $75,001-$110,000 report $17,785.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 report an average net price of $20,125 per year, about $80,500 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at The University of Montana-Western with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $41,988 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $47,344 | C |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $46,457 | C |
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.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education has 57 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a C grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $36,742 in the first year and $41,988 by year four, against median debt of $23,269 (a 0.633 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration, Management, and Operations has 26 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a C grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $35,880 in the first year and $47,344 by year four, against median debt of $21,627 (a 0.603 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific has 24 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a C grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $38,151 in the first year and $46,457 by year four, against median debt of $22,557 (a 0.591 debt-to-earnings ratio).
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 67.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How The University of Montana-Western’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 | 99.8% |
| Enrollment | 1,198 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 35.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,879 |
Montana Western admits 99.8% of applicants. The completion rate of 51.3% measures the share of first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of normal time.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Montana-Western (this school) | 27 | $16,558 | $43,229 |
| Montana Technological University | 69 | $16,481 | $54,329 |
| Montana State University Billings | 34 | $16,524 | $44,296 |
| Adams State University | 29 | $12,980 | $44,372 |
| University of Maine at Farmington | 29 | $16,857 | $44,433 |
| Henderson State University | 25 | $23,405 | $43,459 |
Who Thrives Here
Students relying heavily on loans should compare the net price for their income bracket using Montana Western's net price calculator.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, The University of Montana-Western scores 27/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $16,558 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $43,229 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 25.1 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 51.2% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $29,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
The University of Montana-Western: Common Questions
Is The University of Montana-Western worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. The University of Montana-Western scores 27/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $16,558 a year after aid against $43,229 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 25.1 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does The University of Montana-Western 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 $16,558 a year, or roughly $66,232 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 The University of Montana-Western graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,229 ten years after enrolling, roughly $1,429 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 The University of Montana-Western?
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 25.1 years for The University of Montana-Western. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do The University of Montana-Western graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,000, against average earnings of $29,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at The University of Montana-Western?
The six-year graduation rate is 51.2%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (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.