Montclair State University

Montclair State University's published cost of attendance is $28,305, but need-based aid reshapes what families actually pay across income levels. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $10,880, while middle-income families pay around $16,388, and higher-income families pay approximately $25,573.

Azimuth ranks Montclair State University #439 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.

Montclair State participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants, New Jersey state aid, and institutional scholarships. As a public university in New Jersey, it benefits from the state's robust need-based aid infrastructure, which helps close the gap between sticker price and what lower- and middle-income families actually pay.

Families seeking to understand the full pricing picture — including how [net price and sticker price can differ substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — should compare the income-band figures above against any aid award letter they receive. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $24,693; 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 $61,351, median federal debt of $22,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $249 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Montclair State University earn median earnings of $61,351 four years after enrollment, placing Montclair State University in the 51.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $4,162 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 73.7 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to NJ's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,809 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential.

While institution-level earnings track NJ's regional labor market, specific programs deliver materially stronger outcomes. Azimuth ranks Accounting #73 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with graduates earning median earnings of $84,906 — 1.11x the national benchmark for the field.

Business is the dominant program family, representing 18% of degree output, followed by Arts at 9% and Social Sciences at 5%. Among the largest programs, Business Administration program graduates 571 students annually, while Research Psychology graduates 423 and Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services graduates 271.

On the higher-earning side, Azimuth ranks Interdisciplinary Studies #28 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $58,236, and Azimuth ranks Communication and Media Studies #59 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $59,247.

Montclair State University's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 18% of graduates, followed by Arts at 9% and Social Sciences at 5%. The combination of applied-professional and health-oriented fields gives the university a workforce-facing identity, with the largest programs channeling graduates into careers in business, healthcare, and social services.

Business Administration is the largest program with 571 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #80 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $68,235. Business Administration combines strong enrollment with solid pay, making it a key driver of the institution's overall earnings profile.

The highest four-year earnings come from Accounting, where 104 graduates earn median earnings of $84,906 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #73 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Artificial Intelligence follows with median earnings of $79,692 and a cohort of 132 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #99 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Business Administration rounds out the top earners at $68,235, with Azimuth ranking the program #80 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. These programs reflect strength in applied health and quantitative fields where employer demand remains steady.

Several of the university's popular programs — Interdisciplinary Studies (182 graduates) and Communication and Media Studies (170 graduates) — sit in fields where a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate or professional school, so four-year earnings of $58,236 and $59,247 respectively may undercount lifetime trajectory. Azimuth ranks Interdisciplinary Studies #28 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Communication and Media Studies #59 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Across 47 programs serving roughly 3,683 students annually, 34 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold.