A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at MSU are mostly White with a small Hispanic population. The school has very low racial diversity. 14% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
86%
|
| Black |
1%
|
| Hispanic |
4%
|
| Asian |
1%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
2%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
3%
|
| International |
3%
|
| Race Unknown |
1%
|
There are 8% more male students than female students enrolled at Montana State University with a gender ratio of 52% men to 48% women. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, MSU has a higher gender diversity than other US colleges and is very inclusive of both genders.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
52%
|
| Women |
48%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
8,671
|
| Women |
8,010
|
MSU serves a high number of out-of-state students with 65% of the student body residing outside of Montana or from other countries.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
35%
|
| Out of State |
65%
|
| Foreign |
0%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
18% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 13.9% |
| Part time Undergrads | 14.5% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=180461 IPEDS survey data for Montana State University.