College Scorecard
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $16,578. College Scorecard.
Higher than 42% of Montana colleges we cover and 27% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 75% of Montana colleges we cover and 39% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Montana State University-Northern acceptance rate & admissions
Test scores: College Scorecard. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Montana State University-Northern tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Montana residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Montana State University-Northern costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Montana State University-Northern took 4.4 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Montana. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,940 | $44,134 | 2.8 years |
| $30–48k | $9,242 | $41,034 | 2.6 years |
| $48–75k | $12,451 | $55,282 | 3.5 years |
| $75–110k | $16,315 | $72,439 | 4.5 years |
| $110k+ | $16,578 | $73,606 | 4.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (23% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($49,505) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MT (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,989 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Montana State University-Northern majors, earnings & careers
Montana State University-Northern offers 18 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Education · 2
- Engineering · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Science & Math · 2
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 2
- Trades & Applied Technology · 2
- Arts & Design · 1
Highest-earning majors at Montana State University-Northern
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Justice | $61,748 | $24,069 |
Quick list of all 18 majors
- Agricultural Business—
- Agricultural Mechanization—
- Biology—
- Business Administration—
- Civil Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Community Organization and Advocacy—
- Criminal Justice$61,748
- Drafting / Design Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Nursing—
- Precision Metal Working—
- Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies / Technicians—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Criminal Justice → Police officer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Havre
2 bedrooms $1,310.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 12 inches of rain a year, 41 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Hill County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Hill County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Montana State University-Northern with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Montana by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana State University-Northern | — | $12,664 | 41% | $49,505 | This school |
| Stone Child College | — | $4,424 | 34% | $24,555 | |
| Aaniiih Nakoda College | — | $7,887 | 34% | $30,528 | |
| Salish Kootenai College | — | $7,945 | 28% | $32,725 | |
| Montana State University Billings | — | $16,524 | 30% | $44,296 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Montana State University-Northern would cost you $8,240 more per year than Stone Child College, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Montana State University-Northern.
- Stone Child College gives aided families $7,232 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Montana resident | Montana State University-Northern | SCC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker price | $16,578 | $15,570 | +$1,008 |
| Average grants | −$3,914 | −$11,146 | +$7,232 |
| You pay | $12,664 | $4,424 | +$8,240 |
“+” means Montana State University-Northern costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Montana State University-Northern
How much does Montana State University-Northern cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $16,578 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $12,664 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,940 and families earning $110k+ pay $16,578.
How much do Montana State University-Northern graduates earn?
Former Montana State University-Northern students earn a median $49,505 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Montana State University-Northern graduation rate?
41% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 64% return for their second year.
How long does a Montana State University-Northern degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Montana State University-Northern costs about $55,282 after grants ($12,451 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $49,505 ten years after starting, $15,989 more than high school graduates in Montana ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 3.5 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is Montana State University-Northern the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Montana State University-Northern: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/montana-state-university-northern (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).