MSU vs. Washington State

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

 MSU Washington State
Location Bozeman, MT Pullman, WA
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 16,960 26,490
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #658 #385
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website montana.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MSU Washington State
Tuition (In State) $6,056 $10,976
Tuition (Out of State) $29,047 $27,052
Room & Board $13,446 $13,131
Avg Net Price $18,511 $18,155
Avg Grant Aid $9,967 $10,370
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 87%

Admission

 MSU Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,975 26,166
Admitted 19,081 22,335
Acceptance Rate 86.8% 85.4%
Enrolled % 19% 19%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 20/26
SAT Range 1060/1270 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 31, 2025

Academics

 MSU Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 MSU Washington State
Graduation Rate 51% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,800 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $248 $211

Diversity

 MSU Washington State
% Men 5% 7%
% Women 7% 10%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 86% 63%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 13%
% Native American 2% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 MSU Washington State
% In-State 36% 83%
% Out-of-State 64% 15%

Campus

 MSU Washington State
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

  • Washington State University is larger than than MSU based on total student enrollment (26,490 students vs. 16,960 students)

MSU vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU or Washington State?

  • Washington State University is 81.2% more expensive to attend than MSU for in-state tuition ($10,976.00 vs. $6,056.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.4% higher at MSU than Washington State University ($29,047.00 vs. $27,052.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington State University than MSU ($18,155 vs. $18,511)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington State University are 2.4% lower than costs at Montana State University ($13,131 vs. $13,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington State University than Montana State University (87% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 4% larger than aid received Montana State University ($10,370 vs. $9,967)

MSU vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Montana State University (1131) is 92 points higher than at Washington State (1039)
  • Incoming MSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Washington State (23)
  • Accepted freshman MSU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.5) as students at Washington State (3.5)
  • MSU has a higher acceptance rate (86.8%) than Washington State (85.4%)

MSU vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU or Washington State? 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 Washington State and MSU.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than Montana State University (67% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $8,600 more per year than MSU graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $45,800)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $3,571 lower median federal student loan debt than MSU graduates. ($20,429 vs. $24,000)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than MSU graduates. ($211 vs. $248)
  • More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Washington State students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 71%)

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