MSU-Bozeman vs BYU-Idaho

Montana State University and Brigham Young University-Idaho, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to prospective students. With acceptance rates of 88% and 99%, respectively, both universities welcome a diverse student body. MSU boasts a larger student population, with over 16,000 undergraduates, while BYU-Idaho maintains a smaller, close-knit community of around 12,000 undergraduates. While MSU offers a wider range of academic programs, including popular majors like nursing, business, and engineering, BYU-Idaho excels in fields such as education, family and consumer sciences, and performing arts. Both universities prioritize student success, with MSU reporting a graduation rate of 62% and BYU-Idaho achieving a remarkable 75%. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Brigham Young University-Idaho logo

Brigham Young University-Idaho

Montana State University logo

Montana State University

Overview

Location Rexburg, Idaho Bozeman, Montana
Campus setting Town: Distant Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 67.0% 76.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Mormon

Admission

Acceptance rate 96.6% 73.0%
Application fees $35
Undergraduate: $38

Graduate: $60
SAT range 990 - 1200 1070 - 1300
ACT range 20 - 26 20 - 27
Students submitting SAT score 31.0% 26.0%
Students submitting ACT score 50.0% 42.0%
Total number of applicants 9,963 26,741
Total number of admissions given out 9,621 19,522
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,858 3,874
Yield rate 50.5% 19.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $12,880
In state: $23,286

Out of state: $44,022
Average net price $6,327 $17,821
Tuition $4,416
In state: $5,654

Out of state: $26,086
Room & board $10,400
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

45.0%
Average amount $6,132
92.0%
Average amount $6,287
Students receiving federal student loan 18.0%
Average amount $5,882
35.0%
Average amount $5,191
Students taking out private loans 0.0%
Average amount $4,811
5.0%
Average amount $17,984

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 44,304
Men 43.7% Women 56.3%
14,648
Men 53.5% Women 46.5%
Graduate students N/A 2,140
Men 42.0% Women 58.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 66.1%
International students 3.4% 2.3%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 1,162 4,603
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Montana Washington Colorado California Oregon

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Liberal Arts
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 20:1 18:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 49.6% 54.5%
Dropout rate 25.4% 42.1%
Transferred out 18.1% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,097
  • Year 2: $77,966
  • Year 3: $89,777
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,778
  • Year 2: $73,635
  • Year 3: $84,400
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,924
  • Year 2: $66,653
  • Year 3: $76,101
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,318
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $70,703
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,955
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $67,614
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,669
  • Year 2: $61,218
  • Year 3: $65,263
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,593
  • Year 2: $54,209
  • Year 3: $63,131
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,585
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $61,312
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,429
  • Year 2: $46,924
  • Year 3: $54,022
Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,978
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $53,390
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,934
  • Year 2: $72,325
  • Year 3: $85,881
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,974
  • Year 2: $65,387
  • Year 3: $73,528
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,082
  • Year 2: $63,997
  • Year 3: $73,041
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,740
  • Year 2: $61,090
  • Year 3: $73,003
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,299
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $64,492
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,767
  • Year 2: $59,411
  • Year 3: $59,227
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,660
  • Year 2: $56,234
  • Year 3: $58,924
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,052
  • Year 2: $53,671
  • Year 3: $57,998
Environmental Design (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,010
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $55,431
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,200
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $53,365