University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlights the best programs.

Get Matched With Online Colleges

Montana State University's Billings campus has much to offer its students. For academics, MSU-Billings features a full roster of degree types. On the university side of things, students can pursue bachelor’s degrees in a variety of fields such as business, healthcare, communications, or humanities. BSU-B offers marketing, accounting, health administration, and history majors. They even have an affiliated City College where students can launch their academic careers with an associate degree or certificate.


Overview of Montana State University - Billings


MSU-B also offers students the option to pursue many degrees online. The City College offers eight degrees that offer an online option, with their practical nursing program offered online only. The University offers 12 bachelor's degrees online with health administration offered online only. After graduating with a bachelor's degree, BSU students can stick around for a graduate degree from the College of Education, the College of Health Professions and Science, or the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

Meanwhile, after class, Montana State students have loads of opportunities for recreation, socializing, and non-academic development. The MSU-B Recreation Center, for instance, is home to a swimming pool, track, climbing wall, and racquetball courts. Students who seek more competition might join one of the intramural teams such as disc golf, table tennis, and more. On top of that, MSU-B is home to student organizations that cater to interests in the arts, culture, professions and career development, spiritual life, and recreation, among other areas.

General Information


School Type Public
Campus Setting City: Midsize
Campus Housing Yes
Student Faculty Ratio 14:1
Graduation Rate 24%
Year Founded 1927

Student Enrollment


Total Students4,416

Undergraduate
4,031
Graduate
385

Undergraduate Student

Male 1,411
1,411
Female 2,620
2,620

Graduate Student

Male 135
135
Female 250
250

Explore Map

Admissions


APPLICATIONSNA

Male  NA
Female NA

ACCEPTANCENA

Male  NA
Female NA

Acceptance RateNA

Male  NA
Female NA

Enrollment 2,089

Male  NA
Female NA
Admissions
Application Fee $30
High School GPA NA
High School Rank NA
High School Transcripts NA
College Prep Courses NA
Recommendations NA
SAT/ACT NA
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) NA
Application Deadline Rolling
Common Application Accepted Yes

Tuition Cost & Financial Aid


MSU-B is a public institution, so tuition is managed in such a way as to benefit Montana residents. In fact, a year at MSU-B is very affordable. A year of tuition, books, supplies, and fees for a Montana resident is approximately $7,500. Out-of-state students who are not part of the Western University Exchange pay over $20,000 for the same courses. Once living expenses are tallied, Montanans pay less than $20,000 while non-residents pay a bit more than $33,000. These figures are for both on- and off-campus living.

However, the financial picture changes dramatically when financial aid is factored in. In fact, the average net price for a year at MSU-B is a mere $12,000, including living expenses. The bottom income bracket sees an average total net cost of $11,000, while households with income over $110,000 pay nearly $17,000. This is all due to the hard work of the financial aid office at MSU-B who helps students receive grants and scholarships that average around $5,000 per student.

Average net price 2018-2019
Net Price $12,070
Average Total Aid $5,059
Students Receiving Financial Aid 91%
Room & Board $7,420

Sticker Price


  • Tuition In-State - $5,933
  • Tuition Out-of-State - $19,257
  • Books and Supplies - $1,550
  • Room & Board - $7,420
  • Other - $4,640

Academics


Montana State University – Billings is a public institution that offers degrees at most levels, from an associate degree through a master's. Thus, their academic scope is wide. It also turns out that their academic depth is first-rate. This academic quality is revealed through their educational statistics, such as their reported retention rate and graduation rate.

MSU-B's retention rate is very strong, indeed. Of their first-time, first-year students, 62% return for a second year. This indicates that they are satisfied with their instructors, the curriculum, and even their campus experience. Even their first-time, part-time students are pleased as 45% of part-timers return for a second year. These numbers are competitive with many other public universities nationwide.

When it comes to graduation numbers, MSU-B reports an overall graduation rate of 24%, which is paired with a transfer-out rate of 25%. Since transfer students typically move on to a more competitive institution, it can be surmised that nearly 50% of incoming MSU-B students complete a college degree somewhere.

MSU-B students' strong academic footing may partly come from the fact that the university boasts a student-to-faculty ratio of only 14 to one. This favorable ratio indicates small class sizes and a more nurturing academic environment.

Student Population Total


Student Population 4,416

Undergraduate
4,031
Graduate
385
Evening Classes : No
Online Learning : Yes

Most Popular Programs & Majors

(# of Diplomas Awarded by Subject)


All Business Majors 120 Total Graduates / 29%
Business/Commerce, General 120 Graduates
All Education Majors 60 Total Graduates / 15%
Elementary Education and Teaching 39 Graduates
Special Education and Teaching, General 6 Graduates
History Teacher Education 5 Graduates
Mathematics Teacher Education 4 Graduates
Health Professions and Related Programs 39 Total Graduates / 9%
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 18 Graduates
Health/Health Care Administration/Management 15 Graduates
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other 6 Graduates
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 29 Total Graduates / 7%
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 29 Graduates
All Psychology Majors 29 Total Graduates / 7%
Psychology, General 14 Graduates
Community Psychology 15 Graduates
All Other Diplomas 33%

Outcome & Salary


Educational outcomes are often difficult to measure. After all, an education is about more than grades or salaries. Nevertheless, salary data is the easiest and most objective outcome measure. Furthermore, students and their families are all interested to learn how much they might earn from their degree.

In fact, Montana State University – Billings produces graduates who do quite well indeed. The median earnings for their registered nursing graduates is over $58,000, which is a strong starting salary. At the lower end, healthcare administrators with a degree from MSU-B report median earnings of $38,000. Given that MSU-B students have such a strong academic background, it's likely that their earnings will continue to soar as the years go by.

Graduates Salary
College Grads Early Career Salary $46,200
College Grads Average Salary $60,197
College Grads Mid Career Salary $80,400
Return on Investment (ROI)
10 Year Salary Earnings Potential $601,970
20 Year Salary Earnings Potential $1,405,970
Cost of Education (Net Price) 4 Year $48,280
10 Year Projected ROI $553,690
20 Year Projected ROI $1,357,690
No College Education Salary Comparison
National Average Salary $38,792
10 Year Projected Income $387,920
20 Year Projected Income $775,840

Search All Programs