Montana State University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Missoula, Montana · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
Montana State University is a public institution located in Missoula, Montana. For the most recent reporting cycle, Montana State University admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 96%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1190 and an ACT composite around 22. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $17,118 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Montana State University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Montana State University?
Montana State University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores Montana State University typically admits
The middle-50 ACT composite range is 23–28. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | — |
| 50th percentile | 1190 |
| 75th percentile | — |
| 25th percentile | 23 |
| 50th percentile | 22 |
| 75th percentile | 28 |
How much does Montana State University actually cost?
Published tuition is $8,152 for in-state students and $31,622 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $12,192 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $17,118 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 28% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| Average net price (after aid) | $17,118 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Montana State University
Other colleges in Montana parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Montana State University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Montana State University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Montana State University
What GPA do I need for Montana State University?
Montana State University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does Montana State University typically admit?
The middle-50 ACT composite range is 23–28.
How much does Montana State University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Montana State University after grants and scholarships is $17,118 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Montana State University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Montana State University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Montana State University, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.