MSU Billings vs UM Western

Montana State University Billings and The University of Montana-Western, both esteemed institutions in Montana, offer unique educational experiences. MSU Billings boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students. UMW, on the other hand, has a smaller student body, fostering a close-knit community. While MSU Billings offers a wider range of undergraduate programs, UMW excels in certain fields like education and nursing. Both universities provide ample opportunities for hands-on learning, preparing students for successful careers. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key aspects of each university, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Montana State University Billings	The University of Montana-Western
Overview
Location	Billings, Montana	Dillon, Montana
Campus setting	City: Midsize	Town: Remote
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	57.0%	73.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	33.3%
Application fees	$40	$30
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants		1,278
Total number of admissions given out		426
Admitted students who chose to enroll		229
Yield rate		53.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)		N/A
High school GPA	N/A	Required
Recommendation letters	N/A	Not required
High school transcript	N/A	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $20,258 Out of state: $33,588	In state: $21,456 Out of state: $32,920
Average net price	$12,626	$12,377
Tuition	In state: $4,485 Out of state: $17,678	In state: $4,523 Out of state: $15,913
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,096 Meal plan: $3,860	Room/dormitory: $3,244 Meal plan: $4,800
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	85.0% Average amount $5,151	89.0% Average amount $8,492
Students receiving federal student loan	42.0% Average amount $4,398	58.0% Average amount $7,476
Students taking out private loans	1.0% Average amount $10,623	5.0% Average amount $7,955

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,728 Men 35.8% Women 64.2%	1,399 Men 33.0% Women 67.0%
Graduate students	386 Men 23.6% Women 76.4%	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	11.6%	31.4%
International students	1.6%	0.1%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	480	420
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Montana Washington California Wyoming Idaho	Montana Washington Idaho Nevada California

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Education Liberal Arts Business Automotive Technology	Education Liberal Arts Business Agriculture Military Technologies
Students to faculty ratio	15:1	14:1
Institutional accreditation	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome
Graduation rate	28.1%	41.8%
Dropout rate	41.6%	26.3%
Transferred out	25.2%	28.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $58,668 Year 2: $58,402 Year 3: $56,921 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,844 Year 2: $39,369 Year 3: $45,907 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,616 Year 2: $32,284 Year 3: $35,732 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,524 Year 2: $29,250 Year 3: $34,494 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,992 Year 2: $43,993 Year 3: $33,515 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $31,890 Year 3: $33,438 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,495 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $37,775 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $48,100 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Health and Medical Administrative Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: N/A	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,379 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: $40,922 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,928 Year 2: $36,437 Year 3: $39,876 Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $36,221 Year 3: $37,419 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,421 Year 2: $32,925 Year 3: $32,976 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $30,771 Year 3: N/A

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MSU Billings vs UM Western

Montana State University Billings

The University of Montana-Western

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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