More selective than 0% of Montana colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $21,403. College Scorecard.
Higher than 67% of Montana colleges we cover and 44% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 33% of Montana colleges we cover and 20% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
The University of Montana-Western acceptance rate & admissions
Of 793 applicants, The University of Montana-Western admitted 789 and 300 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
The University of Montana-Western 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 The University of Montana-Western costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of The University of Montana-Western 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 | $14,822 | $64,772 | 6.7 years |
| $30–48k | $14,058 | $61,433 | 6.3 years |
| $48–75k | $15,951 | $69,706 | 7.2 years |
| $75–110k | $17,785 | $77,720 | 8.0 years |
| $110k+ | $20,125 | $87,946 | 9.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($43,229) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MT (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $9,713 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.
The University of Montana-Western majors, earnings & careers
The University of Montana-Western offers 19 bachelor's majors across 7 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 5
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Arts & Design · 2
- Education · 2
- Business & Finance · 1
- Health & Medicine · 1
Highest-earning majors at The University of Montana-Western
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | $47,344 | $21,627 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $46,457 | $22,557 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $41,988 | $23,269 |
Quick list of all 19 majors
- Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services—
- Behavioral Sciences—
- Biology—
- Business Administration$47,344
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$41,988
- Education (Subject Teaching)$46,457
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- History—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Psychology—
- Social Sciences—
- Sociology and Anthropology—
- Studio Art—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
— 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 →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
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Dillon
2 bedrooms $1,074.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 11 inches of rain a year, 11 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Beaverhead County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Beaverhead County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare The University of Montana-Western 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Montana-Western | 100% | $16,558 | 51% | $43,229 | This school |
| Montana Technological University | 91% | $16,481 | 58% | $54,329 | |
| The University of Montana | 96% | $16,784 | 48% | $44,511 | |
| Montana State University-Northern | — | $12,664 | 41% | $49,505 | |
| Stone Child College | — | $4,424 | 34% | $24,555 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
The University of Montana-Western would cost you $77 more per year than Montana Technological University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at The University of Montana-Western, mostly from lower housing & meal costs (−$2,426).
- Montana Technological University gives aided families $1,460 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Montana resident | The University of Montana-Western | Montana Technological University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $6,670 | $8,340 | −$1,670 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,260 | −$60 |
| Housing & meals | $9,104 | $11,530 | −$2,426 |
| Personal & travel | $4,978 | $4,048 | +$930 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$549 | −$2,392 | +$1,843 |
| Sticker price | $21,403 | $22,786 | −$1,383 |
| Average grants | −$4,845 | −$6,305 | +$1,460 |
| You pay | $16,558 | $16,481 | +$77 |
“+” means The University of Montana-Western 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 The University of Montana-Western
What is the The University of Montana-Western acceptance rate?
The University of Montana-Western accepts 100% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 789 of 793 applicants were admitted.
How much does The University of Montana-Western cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $21,403 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $16,558 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $14,822 and families earning $110k+ pay $20,125.
How much do The University of Montana-Western graduates earn?
Former The University of Montana-Western students earn a median $43,229 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the The University of Montana-Western graduation rate?
51% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% return for their second year.
How long does a The University of Montana-Western degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at The University of Montana-Western costs about $69,706 after grants ($15,951 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $43,229 ten years after starting, $9,713 more than high school graduates in Montana ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 7.2 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is The University of Montana-Western 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: “The University of Montana-Western: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-montana-western (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).