The University of Montana vs. Washington State

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

The University of Montana Washington State
Location Missoula, MT Pullman, WA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 9,955 27,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #724 #386
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umt.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

The University of Montana Washington State
Tuition (In State) $5,515 $10,708
Tuition (Out of State) $27,168 $26,392
Room & Board $11,608 $12,396
Avg Net Price $16,361 $17,911
Avg Grant Aid $5,645 $10,689
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

The University of Montana Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,943 19,401
Admitted 8,530 16,123
Acceptance Rate 95.4% 83.1%
Enrolled % 19% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/26 20/26
SAT Range 1070/1280 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 Aug 18, 2025 Jan 31, 2025

Academics

The University of Montana Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

The University of Montana Washington State
Graduation Rate 47% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,183 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $239 $211

Diversity

The University of Montana Washington State
% Men 40% 46%
% Women 60% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 63%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 13%
% Native American 3% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

The University of Montana Washington State
% In-State 55% 83%
% Out-of-State 44% 15%

Campus

The University of Montana 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 The University of Montana based on total student enrollment (27,539 students vs. 9,955 students)

The University of Montana vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

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

  • Washington State University is 94.2% more expensive to attend than The University of Montana for in-state tuition ($10,708.00 vs. $5,515.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.9% higher at The University of Montana than Washington State University ($27,168.00 vs. $26,392.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Montana than Washington State ($16,361 vs. $17,911)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Montana are 6.8% lower than costs at Washington State University ($11,608 vs. $12,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Montana than Washington State University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 89.4% larger than aid received The University of Montana ($10,689 vs. $5,645)

The University of Montana vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Montana (1090) is 51 points higher than at Washington State (1039)
  • Incoming The University of Montana students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Washington State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Washington State students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at The University of Montana (3.36)
  • The University of Montana has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than Washington State (83.1%)

The University of Montana vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, The University of Montana 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 The University of Montana.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than The University of Montana (67% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $13,400 more per year than The University of Montana graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $41,000)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $2,754 lower median federal student loan debt than The University of Montana graduates. ($20,429 vs. $23,183)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than The University of Montana graduates. ($211 vs. $239)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former The University of Montana students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 59%)

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