MSU vs. URI

Should I go to Montana State University or University of Rhode Island? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MSU or URI 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 Rhode Island comparison
Montana State University University of Rhode Island College 3 College 4
Montana State University University of Rhode Island
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Overview

MSU URI
Location Bozeman, MT Kingston, RI
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,681 17,473
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #590 #361
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website montana.edu uri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MSU URI
Tuition (In State) $5,824 $13,586
Tuition (Out of State) $27,391 $32,068
Room & Board $11,300 $13,584
Avg Net Price $17,250 $20,695
Avg Grant Aid $5,749 $13,257
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

MSU URI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,794 25,481
Admitted 21,116 19,465
Acceptance Rate 73.3% 76.4%
Enrolled % 17.8% 17.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 25/30
SAT Range 1070/1290 1050/1270
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

MSU URI
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

MSU URI
Graduation Rate 51% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,800 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $23,438
Median Loan Payment $248 $242

Diversity

MSU URI
% Men 52% 42%
% Women 48% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 71%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 9%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

MSU URI
% In-State 35% 40%
% Out-of-State 65% 59%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Rhode Island is larger than than MSU based on total student enrollment (17,473 students vs. 16,681 students)

MSU vs. URI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU or URI?

  • University of Rhode Island is 133.3% more expensive to attend than MSU for in-state tuition ($13,586.00 vs. $5,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.1% higher at URI than Montana State University ($32,068.00 vs. $27,391.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Montana State University than URI ($17,250 vs. $20,695)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Montana State University are 20.2% lower than costs at University of Rhode Island ($11,300 vs. $13,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montana State University than University of Rhode Island (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Rhode Island students is 130.6% larger than aid received Montana State University ($13,257 vs. $5,749)

MSU vs. URI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Montana State University (1131) is 54 points higher than at URI (1077)
  • Incoming MSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at URI (24)
  • Accepted freshman URI students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at MSU (3.5)
  • URI has a higher acceptance rate (76.4%) than MSU (73.3%)

MSU vs. URI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU or URI? 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 URI and MSU.

  • The graduation rate at URI is higher than Montana State University (63% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from University of Rhode Island earn on average $10,400 more per year than MSU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $45,800)
  • University of Rhode Island students graduate with a $562 lower median federal student loan debt than MSU graduates. ($23,438 vs. $24,000)
  • URI graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than MSU graduates. ($242 vs. $248)
  • More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former URI students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 69%)

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