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Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 14,472 Undergrads 55.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,779
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,593
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,263
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$20,593
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$53,263
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate55.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
86.8%
SAT Avg
1,154
SAT Reading
25th: 53059575th: 640
SAT Math
25th: 53059075th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 202475th: 27
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$464k
+$67k
-$21k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$389k
-$7k
-$95k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$378k
-$18k
-$106k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-128%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-124%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-121%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-79%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Certificates
Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,327
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Associate's Degrees
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (2yr)
$26,121
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Bachelor's Degrees
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$19,125
Earnings (5yr)
$53,351
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$23,149
Earnings (5yr)
$42,414
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,122
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$20,735
Earnings (5yr)
$68,260
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
BachCIP: 2604
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$69,621
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$82,446
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$20,913
Earnings (5yr)
$76,388
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$65,332
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (5yr)
$126,082
Lifetime Value Added
+$463k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$25,185
Earnings (5yr)
$89,788
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,698
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$21,747
Earnings (5yr)
$92,667
Lifetime Value Added
+$215k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$20,775
Earnings (5yr)
$43,101
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Environmental Design
BachCIP: 0404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,900
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$23,646
Earnings (5yr)
$46,144
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (5yr)
$41,239
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (5yr)
$45,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$20,064
Earnings (5yr)
$50,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,375
Earnings (5yr)
$45,865
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$23,785
Earnings (5yr)
$44,105
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$276k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,536
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$24,980
Earnings (5yr)
$92,132
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$20,399
Earnings (5yr)
$63,350
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$27,752
Earnings (5yr)
$60,659
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,106
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$18,050
Earnings (5yr)
$57,263
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,477
Earnings (5yr)
$46,443
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$22,802
Earnings (5yr)
$72,739
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,987
Earnings (5yr)
$46,595
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Sustainability Studies
BachCIP: 3033
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,470
Lifetime Value Added
-$382k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$44,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$22,875
Earnings (5yr)
$49,990
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$16,345
Earnings (5yr)
$91,099
Lifetime Value Added
+$325k
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,746
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,314
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
MastCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,572
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
MastCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,467
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,112
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$78,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$18,366
Earnings (5yr)
$74,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$185k
Graduate Certificates
Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,629
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.