Quick Facts provides an overview of MSU's enrollment, employment, and programs for the current year. Quick Facts for 1999-00, 1998-99, 1997-98, 1996-97, and 1995-96 are also available. Historical figures for many topics are available through Trend Data, and MSU posts the Common Data Set online. If you have questions or suggestions for facts you would like to see included, please send e-mail to facts@montana.edu.

On July 1, 1994, the Montana Board of Regents of Higher Education restructured the state's colleges and universities into two umbrella universities, Montana State University and the University of Montana. MSU is the home campus for Montana State University, with the following affiliates:

• Montana State University-Billings
• Montana State University-Northern
• Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology

Some data for schools in the Montana University System are available through the Web site of the Commissioner for Higher Education.

MSU offers baccalaureate degrees in 50 fields with many different options, master's degrees in 40 fields, and doctoral degrees in 13 fields. MSU also offers a specialist degree in Education. For more information on specific programs, see:

• Alphabetic List of Programs
• Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, and Options
• Graduate Degrees, Majors, and Options

MSU has been accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges since 1932. Eligible professional programs within the University are accredited by the following agencies:

• Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
• American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences
• American Dietetics Association
• Computing Sciences Accreditation Board
• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
• International Association for Management Education (AACSB)
• National Architectural Accrediting Board
• National Association of Schools of Art and Design
• National Association of Schools of Music
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Headcount enrollment in fall of 2000 was 11,761 students.

	Undergrad	Graduate	Total
Agriculture	704	122	826
Arts & Architecture	1,376	66	1,442
Business	1,057	35	1,092
Education & HHD	1,249	252	1,501
Engineering	2,088	154	2,242
Letters & Science	2,110	343	2,453
Nursing	515	24	539
General Studies/Other	1,430	236	1,666
Total	10,529	1,232	11,761

Summer school of 2000 was attended by 2675 students.

The fall semester of 2000 had a total enrollment of 11,761 students. Of these, 9418 (80%) attended full time and 2343 (20%) attended part time.

Undergraduates		Full Time			Part Time			Total			TOTAL
		Male	Female		Male	Female		Male	Female
Non-degree		56	48		24	23		80	71		151
First-Time Freshmen		1387	1186		182	117		1569	1303		2872
Continuing Freshmen		252	183		59	63		311	246		557
Sophomores		1025	798		133	122		1158	920		2078
Juniors		1005	777		113	134		1118	911		2029
Seniors		1147	1013		223	198		1370	1211		2581
Second Degree		79	91		39	52		118	143		261
Subtotal		4951	4096		773	709		5724	4805		10529
Graduates		Male	Female		Male	Female		Male	Female		TOTAL
Non-Degree Graduates		0	0		126	168		126	168		294
Master's Candidates		195	172		147	154		342	326		668
Doctoral Candidates		72	35		97	65		169	100		269
Specialist Candidates		1	0		0	0		1	0		1
Subtotal		268	207		370	387		638	594		1232
Total		5219	4303		1143	1096		6362	5399		11761

Historical enrollments by class are also available.

The student body attending fall semester of 2000 had the following characteristics:

Sex	Undergrad	Graduate	Total	%
Male	5724	638	6362	54%
Female	4805	594	5399	46%
Ethnicity	Undergrad	Graduate	Total	%
African American	36	3	39	<1%
Asian American	74	8	82	1%
Hispanic American	127	9	136	1%
Native American	194	17	211	2%
White	9040	978	10018	85%
Other	33	15	48	<1%
Unknown	786	100	886	8%
International	239	102	341	3%
Age	Undergrad	Graduate	Total	%
Average	22.3	32.5	23.3
Fee Status	Undergrad	Graduate	Total	%
Resident	7745	926	8671	74%
WUE	376	0	376	3%
Nonresident	2408	306	2714	23%
Geographic Region	Undergrad	Graduate	Total	%
Montana	7483	886	8369	71%
Other US	2784	239	3023	26%
Foreign	262	107	369	3%

Geographic origin is not the same as fee status. Students may come from other states and establish residency in Montana, and students from Montana whose parents are residents of other states may not have resident fee status.

Students attending MSU in fall of 2000 originally came from all 56 counties in Montana, 49 U.S. states, and 63 foreign countries. For further information on the distribution of students by geographic origin, see:

• Montana Students by County
• US Students by State
• Foreign Students by Country

Past distributions of the student population by ethnicity are also available under Trend Data.

The entering freshman class of fall 2000 had 2032 students--1949 traditional-age freshmen who had graduated from high school in the last three classes, and 83 nontraditional freshmen who had graduated earlier. The average age of traditional freshmen was 18.4 years, and the average age of nontraditional freshmen was 24.5 years.

The following averages were achieved by the traditional freshmen. Historical averages are also available.

	Actual	Required
High School GPA	3.30	2.50
Graduating Class Percentile	65.0	50.0
Comprehensive ACT	23.1	22.0
Total SAT	1110	1030

Sixty-nine percent (1401) of the entering freshmen were Montana residents. The remaining 31 percent were from other states (613) or foreign countries (18). Freshmen declared majors in the following colleges:

	Count	Percentage
Agriculture	96	5%
Arts & Architecture	267	13%
Business	176	9%
Education & HHD	110	5%
Engineering	379	19%
General Studies	666	32%
Letters & Science	284	14%
Nursing	54	3%

Thirty percent of the freshmen entered as General Studies majors, a program which gives them up to two years to take core curriculum courses and explore career alternatives before declaring a major.

Retention and graduation rates for recent entering freshmen classes are also available.

Financial Aid Services and the Controller's Office estimate the following expenses for a full-time undergraduate student attending school during fall and spring semesters:

	2000-01
	Resident	Nonresident
Tuition/Fees*	$3,079	$9,075
Room/Board**	4,650	4,650
Books/Supplies	750	750
Personal/Miscellaneous	2,300	2,300
Total	$10,779	$16,775

*Tuition and fees listed are based on the average amount charged to full-time students (12 or more credits per semester for an academic year (two semesters). Actual fees paid may vary based on the number of credits carried each semester. All fees are subject to change without notice.

**Food and housing costs will vary depending on a student's living arrangement and lifestyle. These figures are an average of costs incurred by students living on campus in a residence hall and off campus in a shared apartment.

NOTE: All students will also be charged a supplemental health insurance fee every semester ($446/semester). A student who already has adequate insurance and provides proof of coverage may request a refund.

For more information, please consult the detailed fee schedules for Fall 2000 and Spring 2001:

• Undergraduate Fees
• Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Fees
• Course Fees
• Fee Descriptions

Historical charges for tuition and fees, insurance, and room and board are also available.

MSU distributed over $39 million in financial aid during 1999-00:

• 80% as loans
• 17% as grants and scholarships
• 3% as work study

Approximately 73% of undergraduates received aid, with an average total award of over $3,000 from all aid sources. Approximately 450 graduate students received teaching and research assistantships. Visit Financial Aid Services online for more information about aid available through MSU.

A historical breakdown of awards by source is also available.

In 1999-00, the University awarded 2060 degrees:

• 1712 bachelor's degrees
• 315 master's degrees
• 32 doctoral degrees
• 1 specialist degree

A survey of 1998-99 graduates conducted by Career Services showed that 77% had found employment and 14% were continuing their education in graduate or professional schools. The average salary reported was $31,964 for bachelor's graduates, $35,269 for master's graduates, and $49,965 for doctoral graduates. Of those employed, 51 percent reporting working within Montana.

Historical information on degrees awarded by major is also available.

MSU is a member of the NCAA Division I Big Sky Conference.

• Men compete in football (I-AA), basketball, indoor and outdoor track, cross country, and tennis.
• Women compete in basketball, volleyball, indoor and outdoor track, cross country, tennis, alpine and nordic skiing, and golf.
• Rodeo competition for men and women is conducted through the Big Sky Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.

The school colors are blue and gold, and teams are nicknamed "The Bobcats."

For more information about Bobcat Athletics, contact

Chuck Lindemenn
Director, Department of Athletics
Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717

MSU has granted 78,092 degrees in its 107 year history--67,078 bachelor's, 9589 master's, 1383 doctorates, 41 professional degrees and one specialist degree. The Alumni Association maintains a database of all individuals who have attended the University. The database contains current, active addresses for 54,489 individual alumni, 49% of whom reside in Montana.

For more information about the Alumni Association, contact

Jaynee Groseth
Director, Alumni Affairs
Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717

or visit the Alumni Association online.

As a land-grant university, MSU has a long tradition of supporting basic and applied research and creative activity. During 1999-00, the University attracted $61,031,150 in grants and contracts--66% from federal agencies, 22% from private corporations and foundations, and 11% from state sources. MSU currently holds 27 patents for innovations and processes developed through faculty research, with 85 additional patents pending, and has 29 license and option agreements with private firms, 20 of which are with Montana companies. Visit Research, Creativity & Technology Transfer online for more information about MSU's research programs.

The Montana Agricultural Experiment Station was established at MSU by acts of the Legislature of Montana in 1893 under authorization provided by the Hatch Act of 1887. The research program encompasses several academic departments, service divisions, and laboratories located at MSU and seven research centers located around the state:

• Northern Agricultural Research Center - Havre
• Northwestern Agricultural Research Center - Kalispell
• Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center - Conrad
• Western Agricultural Research Center - Corvallis
• Central Agricultural Research Center - Moccasin
• Eastern Agricultural Research Center - Sidney
• Southern Agricultural Research Center - Huntley

In addition, the Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Station at Miles City is a cooperative program with the US Department of Agriculture.

The Extension Service was created by the federal Smith-Lever Act of 1914. Programs of the Extension Service are funded cooperatively through a legal partnership among federal, state, and county governments. Extension offices are located in 49 counties and four tribal reservations serving 56 counties. Programs address societal needs in the general areas of agriculture, family living, community and economic development, and youth development. Visit the MSU Extension Service online for more information.

In January of 1989 the University Funding Study Committee of the Montana State Legislature identified a set of peer campuses for each unit of the Montana University System. Criteria used in selecting peers were public funding, geographic region, role and scope, enrollment profile, and research mission. MSU and UM share the following group of peer campuses:

• New Mexico State University
• North Dakota State University
• Northern Arizona University
• University of Idaho
• University of North Dakota
• University of Wyoming
• University of Nevada-Reno
• Utah State University

MSU's legislative appropriation for 1999-00 was collected and spent as follows:

Revenue	Amount	%
Tuition & Fees	$36,232,297	47%
Scholarships & Fellowships	3,291,075	4%
Miscellaneous	1,545,439	2%
General Fund	31,277,741	40%
Millage	5,212,768	7%
Total	$77,559,320	100%

Expenditures	Amount	%
Instruction	$42,516,122	55%
Research	618,467	1%
Public Service	794,713	1%
Academic Support	9,015,140	12%
Student Services	6,392,930	8%
Institutional Support	5,381,806	6%
Physical Plant	9,242,579	12%
Scholarships	3,303,241	4%
Total	$77,264,998	99%

A fund balance of $336,861 was carried forward to 1999-00.

Past data for FTE, revenue, and expenditures are available under Trend Data.

Based on a fall 2000 snapshot of the personnel file, MSU employs 2,610 permanent faculty and staff, 493 graduate teaching and research assistants, and over 2000 students in part-time jobs. Of the 2,610 permanent employees, 2,117 are full time and 493 are part time; 1,302 are men and 1,308 are women. Total faculty number 921, which includes 552 full-time and 185 part-time instructional faculty and department heads, and an additional 184 faculty in research and service positions. Classified, professional, and service staff number 1,626.

		Number of Employees						Gender
Admin/Managerial		Total	FullTime	PartTime		Full Time Equivalent		Men	Women
Pres/VP/Deans/Directors		63	63	0		63.00		41	22
Faculty		Total	FullTime	PartTime		Full Time Equivalent		Men	Women
Heads/Directors		49	48	1		48.70		38	11
Tenurable Instructional		417	400	17		409.93		314	103
Adjunct Instructional		271	104	167		161.98		129	142
Research		45	32	13		38.43		34	11
Ag Exp Station/Ext Service		124	113	11		118.98		73	51
Library		15	15	0		15.00		5	10
Subtotal		921	712	209		793.02		593	328
Staff		Total	FullTime	PartTime		Full Time Equivalent		Men	Women
Contract Professional		519	380	139		446.85		273	246
Classified Professional		253	214	39		236.50		99	154
Secretarial/Clerical		371	293	78		341.04		17	354
Technical/Paraprofessional		145	130	15		139.55		59	86
Skilled Crafts		54	54	0		54.00		53	1
Service/Maintenance		284	271	13		278.85		167	117
Subtotal		1626	1342	284		1496.79		668	958
Graduate Assistants		Total	FullTime	PartTime		Full Time Equivalent		Men	Women
Teaching		247	0	247		n/a		142	105
Research		245	0	245		n/a		151	94
Subtotal		492	0	492		n/a		293	199
Total		Total	FullTime	PartTime		Full Time Equivalent		Men	Women
With Grad Assistants		3102	2117	985		n/a		1595	1507
Without Grad Assistants		2610	2117	493		2352.81		1302	1308

Campus Operator.......................	406-994-0211
Admissions, Undergraduate.........	406-994-6617
Admissions, Graduate.................	406-994-4145
Alumni Affairs.............................	406-994-2401
Ask-Us Information Desk...........	406-994-4636
Bobcat Athletics.........................	406-994-4221
Bobcat Booster Club..................	406-994-3741
Career Services..........................	406-994-4353
Conference Services...................	406-994-3333
Financial Aid Services.................	406-994-2845
Institutional Research...................	406-994-4390
MSU Foundation........................	406-994-2053
New Student Services.................	406-994-2452
Orientation..................................	406-994-2827
President's Office........................	406-994-2341
Provost's Office..........................	406-994-4371
Registrar.....................................	406-994-2601
Residence Life............................	406-994-2661
Information Technology Center....	406-994-3042
University Relations.....................	406-994-4571

Please see our online directories for phone numbers and e-mail addresses for individual faculty, staff, and students.

Return to regular view	Text-only	Updated: 7/19/2006