MSU Tuition & Cost

  • 5/10 Overall Rating
  • 4 Year
  • Bozeman, MT
  • 5.0 2 reviews
#3 Best Colleges in Montana

How Much Does It Cost to Attend?

In State Montana Resident Sticker Price

$30,097

Out of State Resident Sticker Price

$54,924

Breakdown

In State Costs for Montana State University
  • Tuition $8,460
  • Books and Supplies $1,450
  • Other Fees $2,161
  • Room and Board $14,000
  • Budget for Other Expenses $4,026
  • Total One Year Cost $30,097

In-State Tuition

In-state tuition at Montana State University for undergraduate students residing in Montana is $8,460. Room and board charges total $14,000 per year. Students will also need to budget for books and supplies, which typically amount to $1,450 annually. Other administrative or academic fees are $2,161 for the year. Additionally, students should plan an estimated $4,026 for other miscellaneous expenses throughout the year. In sum, residents attending Montana State University full time should expect a total annual cost of $30,097.

Out-of-State Tuition

Undergraduate tuition at Montana State University is $33,287 for out-of-state students. Additionally, out-of-state students are charged $14,000 for room and board, $1,450 for textbooks and educational resources, plus fees of $2,161. Students are advised to budget $4,026 for other expenses. When these costs are combined, annual out-of-state charges total $54,924. This figure is 82.5% higher than what Montana residents pay.

Housing Costs

On campus room and board is provided by the school at a cost of $14,000 per academic year. Students electing to live off campus elsewhere in Bozeman should budget at least this amount.

Books and Supplies

The estimated annual cost for books and educational supplies is $1,450.

Other Living Expenses

If living on-campus, students should budget for $4,026 in additional living expenses. Off-campus students should budget for $4,026 in other miscellaneous living expenses.

All price data is sourced from the IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025.

Net Price

The average reported annual net price for Montana State University for students receiving grants or scholarship aid was $20,142* in 2023/2024. Net price includes tuition and required fees, books and supplies, and average cost for room and board and other expenses.

Average Net Price 2023/2024

$20,142

Below is the average net price by student family income.

Net Price by Income Montana State University
Family Income Net Price Paid
$0 to $30,000$17,797
$30,001 to $48,000$18,570
$48,001 to $75,000$21,977
$75,001 to $110,000$24,732
$110,000+$25,905

The net price provides a more realistic estimate of the true cost of attending Montana State University, once common grants and scholarships have been taken into account. It's important to note that your net price will fluctuate based on factors such as family income, assets and individual financial need. Net price is the out-of-pocket total cost that students end up paying or financing though student loans.

*Reported Average Annual Net Price for students receiving grant or scholarship aid reported to the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2023/2024. Financial aid is only available to those who qualify. Consult this school's net price calculator for further understanding of your potential net price.

Note that for colleges with no reported on-campus room and board, the average net price has been increased to account for living expenses. This number may not only reflect the net price paid to the school for tuition.

Financial Aid

83% of full-time undergrad Montana State University received financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, fellowships from the institution or from Federal, State or local government agencies. This aid averaged $11,763 per student during the 2023/2024 school year. Grant and scholarship aid does not need to be paid back.

Pell Grants

17 percent of students received aid in the form of Pell Grants from the U.S. Federal Government. The average Pell Grant awarded for 2023/2024 was $5,640. To apply for a Pell Grant to attend Montana State University, the first step is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Student Loans

37% of students received Federal Student Loans averaging $5,185 and 9% of undergrads took out private student loans averaging $21,152.

Financial Aid Montana State University
Type Avg./Student Students Receiving
Total Grant and Scholarship Aid $11,763 83%
Institutional Grants and Scholarships $10,909 80%
Pell Grants $5,640 17%
Other Federal Grants $1,901 5%
State and Local Grants $1,016 8%
Federal Student Loans $5,185 37%
Other Student Loans $21,152 9%

Data Source, IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2023/2024

Financial Aid Mix - $30,097 In-State Total Cost

CollegeSimply has modeled example payment coverage for the annual in-state tuition and living expenses of $30,097. Breakdown is based on average grant aid and federal loan aid which will vary based on your family income.

Grants 45%
Loans 20%
Out of Pocket 35%

Grants and Scholarships

45% - $11,763

Money granted to you by the U.S. Department of Education, Montana State University or other organizations. These are not loans and do not need to be repaid.

Federal Student Loans

20% - $5,185

Low interest student loans funded by the U.S. Department of Education. This amount will need to be repaid.

Out of Pocket Cost

35% - $9,123

Covered by family savings, work or private student loans which you will have to repay.

Student Loans

To gauge a more realistic picture of what it really could cost you out of pocket to go to Montana State University, we've modeled a ten year student loan with an original principal value of $80,568. The loan balance of $80,568 is a four year multiple of the $20,142 average net price. This is a estimate of what you could owe upon graduation if you were to qualify for average financial aid and what a degree really may cost. Should you not qualify for financial aid, you may owe significantly more when you graduate. Based on these assumptions, a monthly repayment of $916 could be required to pay off your student loan. The total of all payments including interest would sum $109,878.41.

Please note that financial aid is not guaranteed and is only available for qualifying students. Federal Student Loans are not grants and must be repaid with interest. The current Stafford loan interest rate is 6.52%.

Example student loan for Montana State University
Example Loan $80,568
Stafford Loan Interest Rate 6.52%
Time to Pay Off Student Loan 10 years
Example Monthly Payment $915.65
Total Interest Paid $29,310.41
Sum of All Loan Payments $109,878.41

Student Loan Affordability

In order to afford student loan payments and still meet all your other costs of living, it is recommended not to borrow more than you can pay back using 10% of your monthly income earned after graduation. If you're considering attending Montana State University, should consider if it will be realistic to make the post graduation loan payments based on your expected salary.

Using the 10% of salary threshold, an annual income of $109,878.41 would be needed to afford a $915.65 monthly payment in the example $80,568.00 loan modeled above. This assumes a repayment over 10 years. You can change the terms of this example loan using the student loan calculator below. View statistics about Montana State University student loan debt and graduate salaries under student outcomes.

Projected 4 Year Degree Price

4 Year Sticker Price

$120,388
Projected degree price by year for Montana State University
Year Montana Residents Non Residents
1 $30,097 $54,924
2 $33,084 $60,376
3 $36,368 $66,368
4 $39,978 $72,956

Based on published tuition prices, we estimate the current cost of a 4 year bachelor's degree and living expenses at Montana State University to be $120,388 - assuming graduation in normal time. The estimation assumes a 9.9% annual increase over the next 4 years which has been the recent trend for this school.

Tuition Details

Credit Hour Cost and Price per Class

Credit Hour and Class Costs at Montana State University
Price Per Credit 3 Credit Class 4 Credit Class
Montana Residents $262 $786 $1,048
Out of State Residents $1,283 $3,849 $5,132

Estimated cost for a class at Montana State University based on published credit hour prices. Note that not all schools allow single class enrollment. These prices should be used for comparison purposes as to how much it may cost to take a class at Montana State University versus other colleges.

Tuition Payment Plans Available

Montana State University Payment Plans
Tuition Payment Plan Yes
Prepaid Tuition Plan No
Alternative Tuition Plan Yes
Guaranteed Tuition Plan No

Tuition History

Historical in-state and out-of-state tuition and price increases for Montana State University.

Tuition history for Montana State University
Year In-State Out-of-state Annual Increase
2023 $6,056 $29,047 4%
2022 $5,824 $27,391 3%
2021 $5,654 $26,086 0%
2020 $5,654 $25,084 0%
2019 $5,654 $23,890 0%
2018 $5,654 $23,082 3%
2017 $5,490 $22,194 3%
2016 $5,330 $21,341 0%
2015 $5,330 $20,323 0%
2014 $5,330 $19,732 0%
2013 $5,330 $19,157

Plan and Calculate Costs

College Savings Calculator

Plan and Save for College

Discover how much will you need to start saving now to afford Montana State University in the future.

Student Loan Calculator

Estimate Loan Payments

Modify the loan assumptions to fit your financial situation and likely tuition price. Then calculate your payoff and loan payments for a Montana State University student loan.

Prepayment Option

Costs for Similar Colleges

Explore costs at colleges similar to MSU

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=180461.

Last updated: August 2026