Montana State University Billings — ROI, Cost & Payback
Montana State University Billings charges a net price of $16,524/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $66,096. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,296, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Montana State University Billings does not clear its cost — it ranks #10 of 18 Montana colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $16,524/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $66,096 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,296 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,064/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $18,209 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$147,376 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Montana State University Billings's own numbers. Net price $16,524 × 4 years = $66,096 total. Median earnings $44,296 fall $4,064 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $66,096 bill in about 6.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Montana State University Billings students graduate with?
A median $18,209 in federal loans among completers, or 41% of the $44,296 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Montana State University Billings students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $66,096 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $220,320 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Montana State University Billings expensive compared with other Montana colleges?
Its $16,524 net price runs $2,711 above the $13,813 median across the 18 Montana colleges we profile, or $10,844 more across the full degree.