MSU Billings vs. UM Western

Should I go to Montana State University Billings or The University of Montana Western? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MSU Billings or UM Western is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Montana State University Billings vs. The University of Montana Western comparison
Montana State University Billings The University of Montana Western College 3 College 4
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Overview

 MSU Billings UM Western
Location Billings, MT Dillon, MT
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 4,057 1,424
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #931
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msubillings.edu umwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MSU Billings UM Western
Tuition (In State) $4,620 $4,658
Tuition (Out of State) $18,209 $16,406
Room & Board $8,348 $8,588
Avg Net Price $12,487 $11,584
Avg Grant Aid $5,394 $8,117
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

 MSU Billings UM Western
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 1,476
Admitted - 536
Acceptance Rate 36.3%Open
Enrolled % 50.6%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.05 3.2
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 16/21
SAT Range 890/1120
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 MSU Billings UM Western
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Education (47%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Agriculture (6%)
  • General Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 MSU Billings UM Western
Graduation Rate 33% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,800 $34,100
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,500 $20,929
Median Loan Payment $180 $216

Diversity

 MSU Billings UM Western
% Men 35% 32%
% Women 65% 68%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 88%
% Black 1% 1%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 4% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 MSU Billings UM Western
% In-State 86% 57%
% Out-of-State 11% 43%

Campus

 MSU Billings UM Western
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Montana State University Billings is larger than than UM Western based on total student enrollment (4,057 students vs. 1,424 students)

MSU Billings vs. UM Western Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU Billings or UM Western?

  • The University of Montana Western is 0.8% more expensive to attend than MSU Billings for in-state tuition ($4,658.00 vs. $4,620.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11% higher at MSU Billings than The University of Montana Western ($18,209.00 vs. $16,406.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Montana Western than MSU Billings ($11,584 vs. $12,487)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Montana State University Billings are 2.9% lower than costs at The University of Montana Western ($8,348 vs. $8,588)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Montana Western than Montana State University Billings (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Montana Western students is 50.5% larger than aid received Montana State University Billings ($8,117 vs. $5,394)

Which college is harder to get into, MSU Billings or UM Western? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UM Western or MSU Billings .

  • Accepted freshman UM Western students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at MSU Billings (3.05)

MSU Billings vs. UM Western Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU Billings or UM Western? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UM Western and MSU Billings.

  • The graduation rate at MSU Billings is higher than The University of Montana Western (33% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Montana State University Billings earn on average $3,700 more per year than UM Western graduates after ten years. ($37,800 vs. $34,100)
  • Montana State University Billings students graduate with a $3,429 lower median federal student loan debt than UM Western graduates. ($17,500 vs. $20,929)
  • MSU Billings graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than UM Western graduates. ($180 vs. $216)
  • More UM Western graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MSU Billings students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 58%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/