The University of Montana vs. USD

Should I go to The University of Montana or University of South Dakota? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if The University of Montana or USD 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
The University of Montana vs. University of South Dakota comparison
The University of Montana University of South Dakota College 3 College 4
The University of Montana University of South Dakota
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

The University of Montana USD
Location Missoula, MT Vermillion, SD
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 9,955 9,856
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #724 #597
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umt.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

The University of Montana USD
Tuition (In State) $5,515 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $27,168 $11,283
Room & Board $11,608 $8,224
Avg Net Price $16,361 $18,378
Avg Grant Aid $5,645 $6,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 79%

Admission

The University of Montana USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,943 4,480
Admitted 8,530 4,456
Acceptance Rate 95.4% 99.5%
Enrolled % 19% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/26 19/25
SAT Range 1070/1280 1020/1300
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 Aug 18, 2025

Academics

The University of Montana USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

The University of Montana USD
Graduation Rate 47% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,183 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $239 $258

Diversity

The University of Montana USD
% Men 40% 37%
% Women 60% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 85%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 3% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

The University of Montana USD
% In-State 55% 54%
% Out-of-State 44% 43%

Campus

The University of Montana USD
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

  • The University of Montana is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (9,955 students vs. 9,856 students)

The University of Montana vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, The University of Montana or USD?

  • University of South Dakota is 40.9% more expensive to attend than The University of Montana for in-state tuition ($7,773.00 vs. $5,515.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 140.8% higher at The University of Montana than University of South Dakota ($27,168.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Montana than USD ($16,361 vs. $18,378)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 41.1% lower than costs at The University of Montana ($8,224 vs. $11,608)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Montana than University of South Dakota (100% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Dakota students is 11.7% larger than aid received The University of Montana ($6,308 vs. $5,645)

The University of Montana vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Montana (1090) is 41 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming The University of Montana students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at The University of Montana (3.36)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than The University of Montana (95.4%)

The University of Montana vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, The University of Montana or USD? 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 USD and The University of Montana.

  • The graduation rate at The University of Montana is the same as at University of South Dakota (47% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of South Dakota earn on average $7,200 more per year than The University of Montana graduates after ten years. ($48,200 vs. $41,000)
  • The University of Montana students graduate with a $1,817 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($23,183 vs. $25,000)
  • The University of Montana graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($239 vs. $258)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former The University of Montana students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 59%)

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