Montana State University

Montana State University's program mix is anchored in engineering and applied technical fields—a portfolio shaped by the institution's land-grant research-university identity and regional economic context. Business/Commerce, General is the largest program with 292 graduates, followed by Nursing, Mechanical Engineering, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General, and Psychology, General.

Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 2,607 students annually, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes aligned with Montana's workforce demand. The earnings pattern reflects strength in applied engineering and technical fields.

Computer Science leads with median earnings of $111,728 four years after enrollment across 100 graduates, followed by Mechanical Engineering with $88,653 and Chemical Engineering with $87,590. Nursing and Business/Commerce, General round out the highest-earning cohorts, demonstrating consistent payoff in fields where regional employers actively recruit.

These outcomes correspond to Montana State University's concentration in Engineering—a field where Montana's natural-resource industries, construction sector, and technology employers create sustained demand for graduates. The program portfolio balances high-mobility direct-to-workforce pathways in engineering and applied technology with foundational fields where some graduates continue to graduate or professional study.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Montana State University's dominant program families align with regional and national labor-market trends, particularly in sectors where land-grant universities traditionally serve as primary talent pipelines.

Montana State University's published cost of attendance is $25,905. Net price by income band reflects the institution's public-tuition structure and need-based aid availability: low-income families pay approximately $17,797, middle-income families pay around $21,977, and higher-income families pay approximately $25,905.

Azimuth ranks Montana State University #791 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Montana State's aid structure combines federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. The gap between published cost and net price reflects the institution's commitment to need-based financial aid, though the spread across income bands shows that aid depth varies by family circumstances.

Families apply using the FAFSA, and work-study is available as part of aid packages for eligible students. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $25,000; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $65,157, median federal debt of $22,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $254 under standard ten-year repayment. In a downside earnings scenario anchored on lower-earning program clusters, four-year earnings drop to approximately $46,828, which narrows the monthly slack available after baseline living expenses — a pattern worth exploring at the program level rather than the institutional average.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Montana State University earn median 4-year earnings of $65,157, placing Montana State University in the 69.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,183 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Montana State University in the 70.7 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Montana State University #469 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Montana State University's concentration in engineering and applied fields.

Business/Commerce, General is the largest program with 292 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $71,578, performing at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. The Nursing program graduates 261 students with median 4-year earnings of $76,146, and Mechanical Engineering delivers median 4-year earnings of $88,653 for 179 graduates.

Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General and Psychology, General round out the top programs, with graduates earning $52,702 and $53,623 respectively. The dominance of Engineering — which accounts for a substantial share of degrees — helps explain the institution's above-average earnings outcomes and consistent performance relative to peer institutions.