HEAD-TO-HEAD · 30-YEAR ROI

University of Montana vs Montana State University

Montana State University clears +$1.58M in 30-year net value, University of Montana +$292K — both pay off, Montana State University by +$1.29M.

Two MT public flagships, priced the way an in-state student actually pays. Same state, same residency — so the only thing moving the number is the school.

IPEDS 2023 tuition · FREOPP 2021 earnings · BEA 2023 cost-of-living · resident (in-state) pricing · same model as /worth-it · both schools NPV-positive.

University of Montana · Missoula, MT

30-year net value
+$292K
Total cost of attendance
$81,376
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$41,361
Breaks even by age
—

Montana State University · Bozeman, MT

clears more

30-year net value
+$1.58M
Total cost of attendance
$86,116
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$55,470
Breaks even by age
41
How this is computed (and what it isn’t)

Each school runs through the /worth-it model at its resident tuition rate, with the same loan assumptions, the same 30-year horizon, and each state’s own cost-of-living. The “30-year net value” is the projected accumulated value of the degree over that horizon, in real dollars — the same figure the calculator headlines.

We only publish pairs where both schools clear positive net value, so the comparison is “both pay off, one clears more,” never “this school is a bad bet.” Earnings are rolled up from at least three FREOPP programs per school (ADR-0032), so a single high-earning major can’t distort the number.

Cite this:

LE TEEN (2026). “University of Montana vs Montana State University: 30-year ROI head-to-head.” Data: IPEDS 2023 · FREOPP 2021 · BEA 2023. https://le-teen.com/compare/montana-vs-montana-state

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Questions

Is University of Montana or Montana State University a better return on investment?
On a 30-year net-value basis at resident (in-state) pricing, Montana State University clears +$1.58M and University of Montana +$292K — both are solidly positive, so neither is a bad bet; Montana State University comes out ahead by +$1.29M. Figures from IPEDS 2023 tuition, FREOPP 2021 earnings, and BEA 2023 cost-of-living, run through the same model as the LE TEEN calculator.
How much more does Montana State University pay off than University of Montana?
About +$1.29M over a 30-year horizon (+$1.58M vs +$292K in projected net value). That gap reflects each school's net price and its graduates' median earnings — not a judgment that either degree fails to pay off, since both clear positive.
What is the 30-year net value of a degree from University of Montana?
+$292K at resident (in-state) pricing — total cost of attendance $81,376, median earnings ten years out $41,361. Run your own assumptions on the /worth-it calculator.