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Is The University of Montana worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for The University of Montana, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Heavy lift
The University of Montana lands in the heavy lift band for a typical family. The combination of $21,302 in yearly net price and $21,500 in median debt asks a lot relative to median earnings of $48,823. For context, The University of Montana's net price runs about 35% above the typical 4-year, public school. This does not make the school wrong for every student, but it does mean the price deserves a closer test.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$17,775
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $4,621 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $18,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price is manageable, but it makes the aid offer matter a lot.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$21,302
Median earnings 10 years out
$48,823
Median debt at graduation
$21,500
Graduation rate
48%
At The University of Montana, a typical graduate carries about $21,500 in student debt and earns roughly $48,823 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $244 per month, or 6% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $18,765 more than the typical working high school graduate in Montana ($30,058) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
71% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in Montana ($30,058).
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor's degree · 20 working graduates counted
$29,606
$452 below the benchmark
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Bachelor's degree · 37 working graduates counted
$36,169
$6,111 above the benchmark
Biology, General
Bachelor's degree · 24 working graduates counted
$37,771
$7,713 above the benchmark
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Associate degree · 45 working graduates counted
$39,103
$9,045 above the benchmark
Anthropology
Bachelor's degree · 22 working graduates counted
$40,550
$10,492 above the benchmark
English Language and Literature, General
Bachelor's degree · 21 working graduates counted
$41,634
$11,576 above the benchmark
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
Bachelor's degree · 61 working graduates counted
$43,286
$13,228 above the benchmark
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor's degree · 42 working graduates counted
$43,347
$13,289 above the benchmark
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Bachelor's degree · 49 working graduates counted
$43,813
$13,755 above the benchmark
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Bachelor's degree · 20 working graduates counted
$43,929
$13,871 above the benchmark
131 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent The University of Montana and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
The University of Montana is a public four year school in Missoula, MT. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
Montana State
Bozeman, MT
Worth-It Score: 59/100
Median net price: $23,106
Public 4-year
The University of Montana-Western
Dillon, MT
Worth-It Score: 51/100
Median net price: $19,481
Public 4-year
Montana Technological
Butte, MT
Worth-It Score: 68/100
Median net price: $17,205
Public 4-year
Montana State University Billings
Billings, MT
Worth-It Score: 54/100
Median net price: $15,630
Public 4-year
Montana State University-Northern
Havre, MT
Worth-It Score: 58/100
Median net price: $14,686
Common questions about The University of Montana
The median net price at The University of Montana is $21,302 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in Montana? See the most affordable public universities in Montana →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at The University of Montana in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$21,302a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →