Idaho vs. The University of Montana vs. OSU vs. Western Washington University

Should I go to University of Idaho or The University of Montana? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Idaho or The University of Montana 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 Idaho vs. The University of Montana vs. Oregon State University vs. Western Washington University comparison
University of Idaho The University of Montana Oregon State University Western Washington University
University of Idaho The University of Montana Oregon State University Western Washington University
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Overview

 Idaho The University of Montana OSU Western Washington University
Location Moscow, ID Missoula, MT Corvallis, OR Bellingham, WA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City Small City Small City
Enrollment 11,849 10,327 35,622 14,651
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #552 #726 #379 #364
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website uidaho.edu umt.edu oregonstate.edu wwu.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

 Idaho The University of Montana OSU Western Washington University
Tuition (In State) $6,540 $5,736 $11,145 $7,997
Tuition (Out of State) $27,508 $28,800 $33,315 $26,564
Room & Board $10,380 $12,192 $15,075 $14,915
Avg Net Price $14,377 $17,775 $21,868 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $12,095 $9,208 $9,922 $7,041
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 87% 89% 93%

Admission

 Idaho The University of Montana OSU Western Washington University
Applied 12,222 9,464 29,025 14,243
Admitted 9,666 9,048 22,886 13,005
Acceptance Rate 79.1% 95.6% 78.8% 44.8%
Enrolled % 19.3% 18.3% 20.5% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.36 3.61 3.46
Typical High School Grades B+ B+ B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/29 18/26 21/28 23/29
SAT Range 950/1200 1070/1280 1120/1370 1110/1350
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 18, 2026 Feb 1, 2026 Jan 31, 2026

Academics

 Idaho The University of Montana OSU Western Washington University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (12%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (6%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Idaho The University of Montana OSU Western Washington University
Graduation Rate 51% 47% 61% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,900 $41,000 $53,900 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 59% 66% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,279 $23,183 $23,500 $19,413
Median Loan Payment $251 $239 $242 $200

Diversity

 Idaho The University of Montana OSU Western Washington University
% Men 11% 9% 7% 2%
% Women 11% 18% 8% 4%
Racial Diversity Low Low Medium Low
HBCU No No No No
% White 76% 79% 67% 73%
% Black 1% 1% 1% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 4% 9% 8%
% Native American 1% 3% 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4% 7% 9%
% International 5% 2% 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 5% 2% 1%

Students

 Idaho The University of Montana OSU Western Washington University
% In-State 63% 55% 57% 83%
% Out-of-State 28% 44% 40% 16%

Campus

 Idaho The University of Montana OSU Western Washington University
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes Yes Yes
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Comparable Facts

  • University of Idaho is larger than than The University of Montana based on total student enrollment (11,849 students vs. 10,327 students)

Idaho vs. The University of Montana Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Idaho or The University of Montana?

  • University of Idaho is 14% more expensive to attend than The University of Montana for in-state tuition ($6,540.00 vs. $5,736.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.7% higher at The University of Montana than University of Idaho ($28,800.00 vs. $27,508.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Idaho than The University of Montana ($14,377 vs. $17,775)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Idaho are 17.5% lower than costs at The University of Montana ($10,380 vs. $12,192)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Idaho than The University of Montana (95% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Idaho students is 31.4% larger than aid received The University of Montana ($12,095 vs. $9,208)

Idaho vs. The University of Montana Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Montana (1090) is 29 points higher than at Idaho (1061)
  • Incoming The University of Montana students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Idaho (23)
  • Accepted freshman Idaho students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at The University of Montana (3.36)
  • The University of Montana has a higher acceptance rate (95.6%) than Idaho (79.1%)

Idaho vs. The University of Montana Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Idaho or The University of Montana? 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 The University of Montana and Idaho.

  • The graduation rate at Idaho is higher than The University of Montana (51% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of Idaho earn on average $5,900 more per year than The University of Montana graduates after ten years. ($46,900 vs. $41,000)
  • The University of Montana students graduate with a $1,096 lower median federal student loan debt than Idaho graduates. ($23,183 vs. $24,279)
  • The University of Montana graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Idaho graduates. ($239 vs. $251)
  • More Idaho graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former The University of Montana students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 59%)

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