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The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 7,079 Undergrads 46.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,744
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,118
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,511
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$17,118
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$44,511
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate46.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time86.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
95.6%
SAT Avg
1,190
SAT Reading
25th: -60075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -57575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 232275th: 28
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
+$392k
-$4k
-$92k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$331k
-$66k
-$153k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$307k
-$89k
-$177k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-249%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-208%
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-262%
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-112%
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
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,988
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$18,167
Earnings (5yr)
$52,867
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,136
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,838
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,314
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$17,449
Earnings (2yr)
$22,912
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
AssocCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,970
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$31,111
Earnings (5yr)
$76,311
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$23,181
Earnings (5yr)
$65,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,680
Earnings (5yr)
$51,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,359
Earnings (5yr)
$63,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$18,687
Earnings (5yr)
$47,859
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$27,997
Earnings (5yr)
$30,513
Lifetime Value Added
-$265k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$22,692
Earnings (5yr)
$41,456
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$25,011
Earnings (5yr)
$36,392
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$24,491
Earnings (5yr)
$24,639
Lifetime Value Added
-$316k
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,255
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
BachCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$24,343
Earnings (5yr)
$42,045
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$25,260
Earnings (5yr)
$35,865
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$103,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$309k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,039
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,637
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,182
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,650
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,495
Earnings (5yr)
$57,400
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,111
Earnings (5yr)
$41,785
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$10,613
Lifetime Value Added
-$435k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,927
Earnings (5yr)
$40,480
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$17,951
Earnings (5yr)
$45,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,024
Earnings (5yr)
$43,594
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,905
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$40,484
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$78,114
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$66,360
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,411
Earnings (5yr)
$79,320
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$59,241
Earnings (5yr)
$55,255
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$39,422
Earnings (5yr)
$56,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
MastCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,372
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$30,638
Earnings (5yr)
$60,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,995
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$49,389
Earnings (5yr)
$59,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$41,158
Earnings (5yr)
$51,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Doctoral Degrees
Psychology, General
DocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$72,126
Earnings (5yr)
$78,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$50,640
Earnings (5yr)
$134,948
Lifetime Value Added
+$488k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
ProfCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$95,599
Earnings (5yr)
$80,382
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
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.