University of Montana: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Bozeman, Montana · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
University of Montana is a public university in Bozeman, Montana that admits about 87% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $20,593 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Business/Commerce, General, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Mechanical Engineering, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 57% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 1.9 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Montana is a public institution located in Bozeman, Montana. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Montana admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 87%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1154 and an ACT composite around 24. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $20,593 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Montana 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 University of Montana?
University of Montana 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.
What does University of Montana weight in admissions?
University of Montana reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Academic GPA
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of Montana typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 530–630, with an EBRW midpoint near 595. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–27. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1075 |
| 50th percentile | 1170 |
| 75th percentile | 1270 |
| % submitting SAT | 21% |
| 25th percentile | 21 |
| 50th percentile | 24 |
| 75th percentile | 27 |
| % submitting ACT | 38% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 20% |
| Top 25% of class | 45% |
| Top 50% of class | 74% |
| % submitting class rank | 59% |
How much does University of Montana actually cost?
Published tuition is $8,083 for in-state students and $31,337 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $13,446 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $20,593 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 17% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $6,299 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $30,784 |
| Room and board | $14,000 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $20,593 |
| Application fee | $38 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Montana
| Regular deadline | 14th day of class |
| Notification date | Rolling, immediately following launch |
| Reply deadline | No set date |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from University of Montana?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at University of Montana
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Montana, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business/Commerce, General, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Mechanical Engineering. Across all programs, University of Montana confers roughly 1,257 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business/Commerce, General program report a median income of about $68,260 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, General | 292 | $68,260 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 261 | $72,739 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 179 | $92,132 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | 148 | $46,144 |
| Psychology, General | 109 | $46,443 |
| Computer Science | 100 | $126,082 |
| Chemical Engineering | 85 | $82,446 |
| Biology, General | 83 | $44,208 |
Is University of Montana safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Montana disclosed 27 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 1.9 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 10 violent offenses and 11 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at University of Montana?
About 31% of undergraduates at University of Montana live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 6% of men join a fraternity and 10% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Montana parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Montana
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Montana 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 University of Montana
What GPA do I need for University of Montana?
University of Montana 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 University of Montana typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 530–630, with an EBRW midpoint near 595. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–27.
How much does University of Montana actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Montana after grants and scholarships is $20,593 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 University of Montana 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, University of Montana is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Montana?
University of Montana accepts about 87% of applicants out of roughly 21,652 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is University of Montana test-optional?
Yes. University of Montana is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at University of Montana?
About 57% of students at University of Montana graduate within six years. 79% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of Montana look for in applicants?
University of Montana rates GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of Montana a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Montana is a public institution located in Bozeman, Montana.
What are the most popular majors at University of Montana?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Montana by annual graduates are Business/Commerce, General, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Mechanical Engineering. The school awards about 1,257 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Montana safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Montana reported 27 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 1.9 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at University of Montana?
At University of Montana, 31% of undergraduates live on campus, 6% of men are in fraternities, 10% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of Montana, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.