MSU vs. UNC Charlotte

Should I go to Montana State University or University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MSU or UNC Charlotte 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 vs. University of North Carolina at Charlotte comparison
Montana State University University of North Carolina at Charlotte College 3 College 4
Montana State University University of North Carolina at Charlotte
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Overview

MSU UNC Charlotte
Location Bozeman, MT Charlotte, NC
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 16,681 29,551
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #590 #562
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website montana.edu uncc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MSU UNC Charlotte
Tuition (In State) $5,824 $3,812
Tuition (Out of State) $27,391 $17,936
Room & Board $11,300 $12,896
Avg Net Price $17,250 $13,951
Avg Grant Aid $5,749 $7,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 60%

Admission

MSU UNC Charlotte
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,794 21,355
Admitted 21,116 17,007
Acceptance Rate 73.3% 79.6%
Enrolled % 17.8% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 20/27
SAT Range 1070/1290 1070/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2025

Academics

MSU UNC Charlotte
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

MSU UNC Charlotte
Graduation Rate 51% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,800 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $237

Diversity

MSU UNC Charlotte
% Men 52% 49%
% Women 48% 51%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 86% 60%
% Black 1% 17%
% Hispanic 4% 9%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

MSU UNC Charlotte
% In-State 35% 89%
% Out-of-State 65% 8%

Campus

MSU UNC Charlotte
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than MSU based on total student enrollment (29,551 students vs. 16,681 students)

MSU vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU or UNC Charlotte?

  • Montana State University is 52.8% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($5,824.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.7% higher at MSU than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($27,391.00 vs. $17,936.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than MSU ($13,951 vs. $17,250)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Montana State University are 14.1% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($11,300 vs. $12,896)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montana State University than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Charlotte students is 37.5% larger than aid received Montana State University ($7,907 vs. $5,749)

MSU vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Montana State University (1131) is 38 points higher than at UNC Charlotte (1093)
  • Incoming MSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNC Charlotte (24)
  • Accepted freshman UNC Charlotte students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at MSU (3.5)
  • UNC Charlotte has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than MSU (73.3%)

MSU vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and MSU.

  • The graduation rate at UNC Charlotte is higher than Montana State University (53% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Charlotte earn on average $2,800 more per year than MSU graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $45,800)
  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than MSU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $24,000)
  • UNC Charlotte graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than MSU graduates. ($237 vs. $248)
  • More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Charlotte students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 61%)

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