University of Montana-Western

Overview of University of Montana – Western

---

The school is the only public US university offering the Experience One (X1) block scheduling system. As per UMW’s website, “Students take one course at a time, three hours a day for 18 days, then move on to the next course. By concentrating on one course at a time, students can maximize their potential for success through Experience One.” Students still take the traditional four courses per semester, but learning is more concentrated.

All courses are also taught by professors, not graduate students. This allows students to receive a great deal of personal attention.

Top Rankings For University of Montana – Western

---

Admissions

---

Tuition Cost & Financial Aid

---

For a recent academic year, in-state student tuition was just over $5,700, while out-of-state students paid closer to $17,200. This does not include room and board, which is available on campus for another $8,200. Roughly ¾ of students are in-state, Montana residents.

Approximately 85% of students received some form of financial aid in a recent year. About 73% received grants or scholarships and 58% of students took out student loans. With financial aid applied, what is left for the student to pay is called the net price. The average net price for a recent academic year was $13,519, though a student can expect to pay more or less depending on how much financial aid they apply and are eligible for.

Sticker Price

---

Academics

---

The UMW student-to-faculty ratio is solid at 15 to 1. The retention rate is 76% for full-time students and 14% for part-time students. The graduation rate is a bit low at 49%.

When doing your research about colleges and universities, you’ll want to check on certain metrics, as they can tell you how well the school supports their students. The retention rate refers to the number of first-time students who return to the same school the next year. Low retention rates can be a red flag, or may indicate that the school doesn’t offer much variety in their degree options. If transfer rates are high, students may be completing their general education courses and then transferring to finish a degree. Graduation rates refer to the percentage of first-time students gaining their degrees within 150% of the standard four years it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Student Population Total

---

Outcome & Salary

---

The average early-career salary for University of Montana-Western graduates is $35,000 and by their mid-career the average salary is around $63,700. This is in comparison to the salaries of those who did not go to college and earn a degree, who earn a national average income of $38,792 annually.

Based on this average income, the return on investment (ROI) for UMW graduates is $440,000 in 10-year salary earnings potential. After 20 years, this ROI increases to around $1.077 million. For those who did not attend college, their 10-year projected income is 379,600 and their 20-year projected income is $775,840.

Photos & Videos

---