Quick Facts provides an overview of MSU's enrollment, employment, and programs for the current year. Historical figures for many topics are available through the Office of Planning and Analysis, 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:

• 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 Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business and Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
• American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences
• American Dietetics Association
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• 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

Headcount enrollment in fall of 2001 was 11,745 students.

	Undergrad	Graduate	Total
Agriculture	698	131	829
Arts & Architecture	1,414	85	1,499
Business	1,072	37	1,109
Education & HHD	1,296	195	1,491
Engineering	2,114	155	2,269
Letters & Science	2,076	354	2,430
Nursing	564	19	583
General Studies/Other	1,303	232	1,535
Total	10,537	1,208	11,745

Summer school of 2001 was attended by 3052 students.

The fall semester of 2001 had a total enrollment of 11,745 students. Of these, 9580 (82%) attended full time and 2165 (18%) attended part time.

Undergraduates		Full Time			Part Time			Total			TOTAL
		Male	Female		Male	Female		Male	Female
Non-degree		25	28		10	20		35	48		83
First-Time Freshmen		1076	781		128	89		1204	870		2074
Continuing Freshmen		644	517		119	110		763	627		1390
Sophomores		945	838		108	127		1053	965		2018
Juniors		992	807		118	115		1110	922		2032
Seniors		1224	1049		228	180		1452	1229		2681
Second Degree		70	95		46	48		116	143		259
Subtotal		4976	4115		757	689		5733	4804		10537
Graduates		Male	Female		Male	Female		Male	Female		TOTAL
Non-Degree Graduates		21	19		83	131		104	150		254
Master's Candidates		206	157		164	186		370	343		713
Doctoral Candidates		62	24		94	61		156	85		241
Specialist Candidates		0	0		0	0		0	0		0
Subtotal		289	200		341	378		630	578		1208
Total		5265	4315		1098	1067		6363	5382		11745

Historical enrollments by class are also available.

The student body attending fall semester of 2001 had the following characteristics:

Sex	Undergrad	Graduate	Total	%
Male	5733	630	6363	54%
Female	4804	578	5382	46%
Ethnicity	Undergrad	Graduate	Total	%
African American	31	3	34	<1%
Asian American	78	9	87	1%
Hispanic American	118	10	128	1%
Native American	202	23	225	2%
White	9133	946	10079	86%
Other	44	17	61	<1%
Unknown	727	89	816	7%
International	204	111	315	3%
Age	Undergrad	Graduate	Total	%
Average	22.2	32.1	23.3
Fee Status	Undergrad	Graduate	Total	%
Resident	7913	917	8830	75%
WUE	457	0	457	4%
Nonresident	2167	291	2458	21%
Geographic Region	Undergrad	Graduate	Total	%
Montana	7421	805	8226	70%
Other US	2912	292	3204	27%
Foreign	204	111	315	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 2001 originally came from all 56 counties in Montana, 50 U.S. states, and 57 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 2001 had 1894 students--1801 traditional-age freshmen who had graduated from high school in the last three classes, and 93 nontraditional freshmen who had graduated earlier. The average age of traditional freshmen was 18.5 years, and the average age of nontraditional freshmen was 25.5 years.

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

	Actual	Required
High School GPA	3.28	2.50
Graduating Class Percentile	64.39	50.0
Comprehensive ACT	22.9	22.0
Total SAT	1105	1030

Sixty-nine percent (1310) of the entering freshmen were Montana residents. The remaining 31 percent were from other states (569) or foreign countries (15). Freshmen declared majors in the following colleges:

	Count	Percentage
Agriculture	92	5%
Arts & Architecture	263	14%
Business	168	9%
Education & HHD	119	6%
Engineering	391	21%
General Studies	568	30%
Letters & Science	233	12%
Nursing	60	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:

	2001-02		2002-03
	Resident	Nonresident	Resident	Nonresident
Room/Board**	5,050	5,050	5,120	5,120
Books/Supplies	750	750	850	850
Personal/Miscellaneous	2,300	2,300	2,350	2,350
Total	$11,481	$18,247	$12,127
$19,764

*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 ($512/semester for 2001-02, $582 for 2002-2003). 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 2001 and Spring 2002:

• Undergraduate Fees
• Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Fees
• Western Undergraduate Exchange Program (WUI)
• Course Fees
• Fee Descriptions

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

PLEASE NOTE: 2000-01 financial aid data will be published soon.

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 2000-01, the University awarded 2029 degrees:

• 1672 bachelor's degrees
• 327 master's degrees
• 30 doctoral degrees

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. PLEASE NOTE: data from 1999-2000 graduates will be published soon.

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

Peter Fields
Director, Department of Athletics (effective May 1, 2002)
Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717

MSU has granted 80,121 degrees in its 108 year history--68,750 bachelor's, 9916 master's, 1413 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 54,989 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 2000-01, the University attracted $61,023,165 in grants and contracts--66% from federal agencies, 22% from private corporations and foundations, and 11% from state sources. MSU currently holds 29 patents for innovations and processes developed through faculty research, with 99 additional patents pending, and has 42 license and option agreements with private firms, 24 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 2000-01 was collected and spent as follows:

Revenue	Amount	%
Tuition & Fees	$37,069,954	46%
Scholarships & Fellowships	3,333,228	4%
Miscellaneous	1,620,376	2%
General Fund	32,594,277	41%
Millage	5,378,560	7%
Total	$79,996,395	100%

Expenditures	Amount	%
Instruction	$43,013,285	54%
Research	566,950	1%
Public Service	819,765	1%
Academic Support	9,394,306	12%
Student Services	6,289,817	8%
Institutional Support	5,936,153	8%
Physical Plant	9,785,775	12%
Scholarships	3,337,389	4%
Total	$79,143,440	100%

A fund balance of -$352,687 was carried forward to 2000-01.

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

Based on a fall 2001 snapshot of the personnel file, MSU employs 2,691 permanent faculty and staff, 501 graduate teaching and research assistants, and over 2000 students in part-time jobs. Of the 2,691 permanent employees, 2,137 are full time and 554 are part time; 1,308 are men and 1,383 are women. Total faculty number 950, which includes 702 full-time and 248 part-time instructional faculty and department heads, and an additional 162 faculty in research and service positions. Classified, professional, and service staff number 1,681.

		Number of Employees						Gender
Admin/Managerial		Total	FullTime	PartTime		Full Time Equivalent		Men	Women
Pres/VP/Deans/Directors		60	59	1		59.95		39	21
Faculty		Total	FullTime	PartTime		Full Time Equivalent		Men	Women
Heads/Directors		50	49	1		49.50		38	12
Tenurable Instructional		431	419	12		426.44		322	109
Adjunct Instructional		307	101	206		176.39		133	174
Research		54	37	17		45.41		42	12
Ag Exp Station/Ext Service		93	82	11		88.01		52	41
Library		15	14	1		14.67		6	9
Subtotal		950	702	248		800.42		593	357
Staff		Total	FullTime	PartTime		Full Time Equivalent		Men	Women
Contract Professional		532	393	139		460.78		271	261
Classified Professional		248	210	38		233.66		99	149
Secretarial/Clerical		337	269	68		309.52		16	321
Technical/Paraprofessional		181	155	26		171.48		61	120
Skilled Crafts		55	55	0		55.00		54	1
Service/Maintenance		328	294	34		314.90		175	153
Subtotal		1681	1376	305		1545.34		676	1005
Graduate Assistants		Total	FullTime	PartTime		Full Time Equivalent		Men	Women
Teaching		224	0	224		n/a		133	91
Research		278	0	278		n/a		173	105
Subtotal		502	0	502		n/a		306	196
Total		Total	FullTime	PartTime		Full Time Equivalent		Men	Women
With Grad Assistants		3193	2137	1056		n/a		1614	1579
Without Grad Assistants		2691	2137	554		2405.71		1308	1383

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
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

Return to regular view	Text-only	Updated: 7/19/06