U.S. median for this major: $65,292.
College Scorecard field of study; 258 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 32% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,836.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $25,905. College Scorecard.
MSU Business: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses MSU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $17,797 | $79,019 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $18,570 | $82,451 | 2.2 years |
| $48–75k | $21,977 | $97,578 | 2.6 years |
| $75–110k | $24,732 | $109,810 | 2.9 years |
| $110k+ | $25,905 | $115,018 | 3.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (36% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Business graduates 4 years after graduating ($71,578) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MT (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $38,062 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Business at Montana colleges
Every Montana college we cover that reports Business graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana State University | $71,578 | $23,000 | $22,499 | 57% |
| 2 | Montana Technological University | $61,446 | $21,271 | $16,481 | 58% |
| 3 | Montana State University Billings | $58,827 | $22,625 | $16,524 | 30% |
Careers for Business graduates
Management analyst
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
General and Operations Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Project Management Specialists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.7% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at MSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About MSU
- Acceptance rate: 82% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 57% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,263
- Full cost breakdown · all 59 majors · overview
Related majors at MSU
- Finance—
- Economics$62,511
MSU Business questions
How much do MSU Business graduates earn?
Business graduates of Montana State University earn a median $71,578 four years after graduating and $48,164 one year after. The U.S. median for Business graduates across 241 colleges is $65,292.
How much debt do MSU Business graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Business graduates of Montana State University is $23,000, about 32% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,836.
Is MSU a good school for Business in Montana?
On pay, Business graduates of Montana State University earn $71,578 four years out, $10,132 above the median for the same major across 3 Montana colleges ($61,446) and $6,286 above the U.S. median ($65,292). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does MSU rank for Business in Montana?
Of 3 Montana colleges reporting Business graduate earnings, Montana State University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Business graduates get?
A common career is management analyst, with a median wage of $115,130 in the Bozeman, MT area and $101,860 nationally. Others include general and operations managers and project management specialists.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Montana State University Business: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/montana-state-university/majors/business (College Scorecard and BLS data).