University of Great Falls vs. MSU

Should I go to University of Great Falls or Montana State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Great Falls or MSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of Great Falls vs. Montana State University comparison
University of Great Falls Montana State University College 3 College 4
Montana State University
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Overview

 University of Great Falls MSU
Location Great Falls, MT Bozeman, MT
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 955 16,681
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #590
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ugf.edu montana.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 University of Great Falls MSU
Tuition (In State) $27,256 $5,824
Tuition (Out of State) $27,256 $27,391
Room & Board $10,233 $11,300
Avg Net Price $22,318 $17,250
Avg Grant Aid $18,815 $5,749
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 University of Great Falls MSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 199 28,794
Admitted 190 21,116
Acceptance Rate 95.5%Open 73.3%
Enrolled % 52.1%Open 17.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/22 20/27
SAT Range 720/740 1070/1290
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 5, 2024

Academics

 University of Great Falls MSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

 University of Great Falls MSU
Graduation Rate 29% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,500 $45,800
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $248

Diversity

 University of Great Falls MSU
% Men 31% 52%
% Women 69% 48%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 86%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 2% 2%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

 University of Great Falls MSU
% In-State 49% 35%
% Out-of-State 48% 65%

Campus

 University of Great Falls MSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Montana State University is larger than than University of Great Falls based on total student enrollment (16,681 students vs. 955 students)

University of Great Falls vs. MSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Great Falls or MSU?

  • University of Great Falls is 368% more expensive to attend than MSU for in-state tuition ($27,256.00 vs. $5,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.5% higher at MSU than University of Great Falls ($27,391.00 vs. $27,256.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Montana State University than University of Great Falls ($17,250 vs. $22,318)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Great Falls are 10.4% lower than costs at Montana State University ($10,233 vs. $11,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montana State University than University of Great Falls (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Great Falls students is 227.3% larger than aid received Montana State University ($18,815 vs. $5,749)

University of Great Falls vs. MSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of Great Falls or MSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between MSU or University of Great Falls .

  • Accepted freshman MSU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at University of Great Falls (3.3)
  • University of Great Falls has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than MSU (73.3%)

University of Great Falls vs. MSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Great Falls or MSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between MSU and University of Great Falls.

  • The graduation rate at MSU is higher than University of Great Falls (51% vs. 29%)
  • Graduates from Montana State University earn on average $9,300 more per year than University of Great Falls graduates after ten years. ($45,800 vs. $36,500)
  • Montana State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Great Falls graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,000)
  • MSU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than University of Great Falls graduates. ($248 vs. $258)
  • More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Great Falls students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/