The University of Montana-Western

w.umwestern.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$4,523

2021 Average Net Price

$12,377

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

3.13%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

33.3%

1,278 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

1,399

72.7% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

38.5%

77 Graduates

About

The University of Montana-Western is a higher education institution located in Beaverhead County, MT. In 2021, the most popular Associates Degree concentrations at The University of Montana-Western were General Studies (57 degrees awarded), General Education (38 degrees), and Early Childhood Education & Teaching (21 degrees).

In 2021, 351 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at The University of Montana-Western. 68.9% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 31.1% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (298 degrees), 17.5 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, american indian or alaska native (17 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at The University of Montana-Western is $4,523, which is $−23,982 less than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,505).

Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields Baccalaureate Colleges

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at The University of Montana-Western is $4,523, which is $−23,982 less than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,505).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $12,377.

In 2021, 84% of undergraduate students attending The University of Montana-Western received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 49% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$4,523

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at The University of Montana-Western was $4,523. The cost of tuition at The University of Montana-Western is $−23,982 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,505).

This chart compares the tuition costs of The University of Montana-Western (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$12,377

2021 Value

5.98%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 The University of Montana-Western had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $12,377. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of The University of Montana-Western grew by 5.98%.

This chart compares the average net price of The University of Montana-Western (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$9,743

Room and Board

$800

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at The University of Montana-Western was of $9,743 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 0.464% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $800. The cost of books and supplies increased by 14.3% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at The University of Montana-Western (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

84%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

49%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

84% of undergraduate students at The University of Montana-Western received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 2.44% with respect to 2020, when 82% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at The University of Montana-Western (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

3.13%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at The University of Montana-Western was 3.13%, which represents 11 out of the 352 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

The University of Montana-Western received 1,278 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 48.6% annual growth. Out of those 1,278 applicants, 426 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 33.3% acceptance rate.

There were 1,399 students enrolled at The University of Montana-Western in 2021. 15% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The University of Montana-Western has an overall enrollment yield of 53.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

33.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

426

Accepted Out of 1,278

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of The University of Montana-Western was 33.3% (426 admissions from 1,278 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 51.9%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 48.6%, while admissions declined by −4.48%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of The University of Montana-Western (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

15%

Submission Percentage (2020)

Scores Submitted (2020)

15% of enrolled first-time students at The University of Montana-Western in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

The University of Montana-Western had a total enrollment of 1,399 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at The University of Montana-Western is 1,017 students and the part-time enrollment is 382. This means that 72.7% of students enrolled at The University of Montana-Western are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at The University of Montana-Western, both undergraduate and graduate, is 76.1% White, 6.29% American Indian or Alaska Native, 4.57% Hispanic or Latino, 3.57% Two or More Races, 1.07% Black or African American, 0.572% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.357% Asian.

Students enrolled at The University of Montana-Western in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (52.7%), followed by White Male (30.5%) and American Indian or Alaska Native Female (3.24%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

72.7%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at The University of Montana-Western in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 1,399 students. The full-time enrollment at The University of Montana-Western is 1,017 and the part-time enrollment is 382. This means that 72.7% of students enrolled at The University of Montana-Western are enrolled full-time compared with 79.9% at similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at The University of Montana-Western (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

73%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at The University of Montana-Western was 73%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Baccalaureate Colleges (72%), The University of Montana-Western had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at The University of Montana-Western (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
1,064 enrolled students
American Indian or Alaska Native
88 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
64 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at The University of Montana-Western is 76.1% White, 6.29% American Indian or Alaska Native, 4.57% Hispanic or Latino, 3.57% Two or More Races, 1.07% Black or African American, 0.572% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.357% Asian. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Baccalaureate Colleges is 55% White, 13.5% Black or African American, and 13.4% Hispanic or Latino.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 103 students (7.36%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 133 more women than men received degrees from The University of Montana-Western. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at The University of Montana-Western is white (298 degrees awarded). There were 17.5 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, american indian or alaska native (17 degrees).

The most common Associates Degree concentration at The University of Montana-Western is General Studies (57 degrees awarded), followed by General Education (38 degrees) and Early Childhood Education & Teaching (21 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at The University of Montana-Western, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Applied Sciences (17 degrees awarded), Agriculture (18 degrees), and EDUCATION. (160 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The University of Montana-Western are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,671,253 people), Secondary school teachers (454,472 people), Education administrators (270,475 people), Other managers (176,208 people), and Special education teachers (174,040 people).

The most specialized majors at The University of Montana-Western in 2021 are Applied Sciences (17 degrees awarded), Agriculture (18 degrees), EDUCATION. (160 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (7 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (15 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The University of Montana-Western are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Physicians, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at The University of Montana-Western are Applied Sciences (17 degrees awarded), Agriculture (18 degrees), EDUCATION. (160 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (7 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (15 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The University of Montana-Western are Elementary & secondary schools (2,820,996 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (329,452 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (187,515 people), Construction (108,949 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (103,392 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by The University of Montana-Western.

Most Common (2021)

Elementary Education & Teaching
45 degrees awarded
Early Childhood Education & Teaching
30 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
30 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at The University of Montana-Western was Elementary Education & Teaching with 45 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at The University of Montana-Western according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

109

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

242

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 109 degrees were awarded to men at The University of Montana-Western, which is 0.45 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (242).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at The University of Montana-Western by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 25 degrees were awarded to men at The University of Montana-Western in General Studies, which is 0.781 times less than the 32 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 60 degrees were awarded to women at The University of Montana-Western in Early Childhood Education & Teaching. There were no male recipients with the same degree.

Time to Complete

20%

100% Completion Time

45%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 20% of students graduating from The University of Montana-Western completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 45% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 46% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Baccalaureate Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at The University of Montana-Western is Male and Asian (100% graduation rate). Across all Baccalaureate Colleges, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
298 degrees awarded
American Indian or Alaska Native
17 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
8 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at The University of Montana-Western is white (298 degrees awarded). There were 17.5 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, american indian or alaska native (17 degrees).

4.84% of degree recipients (17 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
213 degrees awarded
White Male
85 degrees awarded
American Indian or Alaska Native Female
12 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at The University of Montana-Western is white female (213 degrees awarded). There were 2.51 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (85 degrees).

Operations

The University of Montana-Western has an endowment valued at nearly $7.62M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 22.8k (0.299%) compared to the 17.4% average return (9.13M on 52.4M) across all Baccalaureate Colleges.

In 2021, The University of Montana-Western had a total salary expenditure of 28.7M. The University of Montana-Western employs 29 Professors, 16 Instructors and 14 Assistant professors. Most academics at The University of Montana-Western are Male Professor (18), Female Professor (11), and Female Instructor (10).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at The University of Montana-Western are: Service, with 24 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 23 employees, and Management with 18 employees.

Endowment

$7.62M

2021 Endowment

29.1%

growth from 2020

The University of Montana-Western has an endowment valued at about $7.62M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of The University of Montana-Western grew 29.1% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $44.7M lower than than the median endowment of Baccalaureate Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at The University of Montana-Western (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$10.7M

2021 Salaries

0.208%

decline from 2020

In 2021, The University of Montana-Western paid a median of $10.7M in salaries, which represents 37.3% of their overall expenditure ($28.7M) and a 0.208% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Baccalaureate Colleges is 15.1M (38.9% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$4.32M

Instructional Salaries

Number of Employees

In 2021, The University of Montana-Western paid a total of $4.32M to 68 employees working as instructors, which represents 40.3% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $4.92M (32.5%) for similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

29 Employees

Service

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

24 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at The University of Montana-Western were Professor with 29 employees, Instructor with 16 employees, and Assistant professor with 14 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at The University of Montana-Western were Service with 24 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 23 employees, and Management with 18 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Professor
Female Instructor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at The University of Montana-Western was Male Professor with 18 employees, Female Professor with 11 employees, and Female Instructor with 10 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at The University of Montana-Western.