The University of Montana
Missoula, Montana · Public · 95.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 33/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
The University of Montana, the state's flagship liberal arts research university in Missoula, earns an ROI score of 33 (Below Benchmark tier). In-state tuition is reasonable at $8,552, but the average net price runs $16,784 (about $67,136 over four years), and out-of-state tuition is a much steeper $33,671. Montana's compressed wage structure (lots of natural-resources, hospitality, and nonprofit employment) caps what graduates earn even with a quality degree. The 21.8-year payback period and 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio reflect that ceiling. Median debt of $22,400 is moderate. The 78% three-year repayment rate is the relative bright spot.
How The University of Montana 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 Score33/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period21.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
The University of Montana
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,552/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $33,671/yr |
| Average net price | $16,784/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $67,136 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,511 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,400 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $237 |
| Estimated payback period | 21.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 48.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,488 |
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: $8,552/year ($33,671/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 $16,784/year, or roughly $67,136 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 $13,960/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,930/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $22,400, which works out to about $237 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,900) and comes to 0.66, 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 | $13,960 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,892 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,180 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,269 |
| $110,001+ | $20,930 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $13,960 net, the lowest tier on offer. With Pell, Montana University System Honor Scholarship, and federal loans, the four-year out-of-pocket runs roughly $56,000. Manageable on paper, but the 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio at graduation says the earnings reality strains repayment for low-income graduates who stay in Montana.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $14,892 and $48,001-$75,000 pays $17,180. Across the middle range, four-year cost is roughly $60,000-$69,000. With Montana's compressed wage curve producing a 21.8-year payback, middle-income families need to be deliberate about major selection - MIS, accounting, and business pencil; English, fine arts, and journalism do not.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $75,001-$110,000 pay $19,269 and $110,001-plus pays $20,930 - effectively full-pay in-state at roughly $77,000-$84,000 over four years. For Montana residents this is reasonable.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at The University of Montana with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $46,192 | F |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $43,813 | D |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $43,286 | D |
| Teacher Education | $43,347 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $57,892 | C |
| Sociology | $51,708 | C |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | $32,671 | C |
| Biology | $37,771 | C |
| Social Work | $46,459 | D |
| International Relations | $47,341 | 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.
Management Information Systems
MIS is the strongest ROI program at UM by a wide margin. First-year median earnings of $54,816 climb to $73,149 by year four, and median debt of $23,250 produces a 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade - the only B on UM's program list. Small program (5 graduates), but for analytically-minded business students, this is the best financial bet on campus.
Accounting
Accounting earns a C+ ROI grade with $47,164 first-year and $61,408 four-year median earnings against $23,500 median debt (0.50 debt-to-earnings). 18 graduates per cohort feed Montana's CPA pipeline plus regional public-accounting employers. Combined with the school's strong College of Business, this is the second-strongest financial track at UM.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is one of UM's largest programs (59 graduates) with $37,784 first-year and $57,892 four-year median earnings. Median debt of $23,923 produces a 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade - workable but not stellar. The earnings ceiling reflects Montana's regional labor market; graduates moving to Denver, Salt Lake, or Seattle see materially better outcomes.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is one of UM's largest programs at 60 graduates per cohort. First-year earnings of $36,142 grow to $43,347 by year four, with $24,880 median debt producing a 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade.
Psychology
Psychology is UM's largest program at 99 graduates and posts an F ROI grade. First-year earnings of $25,023 against $27,000 median debt produce a 1.08 debt-to-earnings ratio - graduates owe more in debt than they earn in their first year. Without graduate study, the bachelor's-only psychology track at UM is one of the weakest financial bets on campus. Students drawn to psychology should plan for an MA or PsyD path or pivot to a more directly-employable adjacent major.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 71.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 64.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 70.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How The University of Montana’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 | 95.9% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 23-28 |
| Enrollment | 7,488 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,310 |
UM admits 96% of applicants - nearly open admission.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Montana (this school) | 33 | $16,784 | $44,511 |
| Montana Technological University | 69 | $16,481 | $54,329 |
| Idaho State University | 38 | $12,193 | $45,608 |
| Pennsylvania Western University | 37 | $18,256 | $47,295 |
| Austin Peay State University | 36 | $9,735 | $44,301 |
| Montana State University Billings | 34 | $16,524 | $44,296 |
Who Thrives Here
With 7,488 students and a 28% Pell rate, UM is mid-sized. The fit profile is clear: students who want a liberal arts and natural-resources flagship in a beautiful Western college town, who plan to live and work in the Mountain West, and who select majors carefully. Strongest tracks by graduate count and outcomes: Management Information Systems (B grade), Business Administration, Accounting (C+), and Teacher Education at scale. The school's earnings ceiling is a real constraint - students should pick high-earnings majors or plan to relocate post-graduation.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, The University of Montana scores 33/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $16,784 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $44,511 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 21.8 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 48.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $22,400 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66. 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: Common Questions
Is The University of Montana worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. The University of Montana scores 33/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $16,784 a year after aid against $44,511 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 21.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does The University of Montana 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 $16,784 a year, or roughly $67,136 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 graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $44,511 ten years after enrolling, roughly $2,711 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?
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 21.8 years for The University of Montana. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do The University of Montana graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $22,400, against average earnings of $33,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66. 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?
The six-year graduation rate is 48.0%. 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.