UM Western vs Castleton University

Nestled in the picturesque landscapes of Montana and Vermont, The University of Montana-Western and Castleton University stand as distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering unique educational experiences. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects. The University of Montana-Western boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a more diverse student body, while Castleton University maintains a smaller student population, fostering a close-knit community. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further distinctions, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your choice of alma mater. Discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences, setting the stage for a fulfilling and transformative college journey.

	Castleton University	The University of Montana-Western
Overview
Location	Castleton, Vermont	Dillon, Montana
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Town: Remote
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	67.0%	73.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	87.3%	33.3%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $40	$30
SAT range	958 - 1158	N/A
ACT range	16 - 22	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	13.0%
Students submitting ACT score	1.0%
Total number of applicants	2,447	1,278
Total number of admissions given out	2,136	426
Admitted students who chose to enroll	391	229
Yield rate	18.3%	53.8%
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	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $27,308 Out of state: $44,276	In state: $21,456 Out of state: $32,920
Average net price	$17,970	$12,377
Tuition	In state: $11,832 Out of state: $28,800	In state: $4,523 Out of state: $15,913
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,312 Meal plan: $4,730	Room/dormitory: $3,244 Meal plan: $4,800
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	98.0% Average amount $13,124	89.0% Average amount $8,492
Students receiving federal student loan	75.0% Average amount $5,202	58.0% Average amount $7,476
Students taking out private loans	19.0% Average amount $13,210	5.0% Average amount $7,955

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,744 Men 44.2% Women 55.8%	1,399 Men 33.0% Women 67.0%
Graduate students	625 Men 22.6% Women 77.4%	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	50.9%	31.4%
International students	3.2%	0.1%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	1,100	420
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Vermont New York New Hampshire Connecticut New Jersey	Montana Washington Idaho Nevada California

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Multidisciplinary Studies Education	Education Liberal Arts Business Agriculture Military Technologies
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	14:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome
Graduation rate	55.1%	41.8%
Dropout rate	15.3%	26.3%
Transferred out	28.5%	28.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,804 Year 2: $63,855 Year 3: $68,139 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $58,221 Year 3: $62,747 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $43,798 Year 3: $49,942 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,266 Year 2: $37,363 Year 3: $42,872 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,556 Year 2: $31,581 Year 3: $40,781 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,579 Year 2: $26,585 Year 3: $38,364 Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,193 Year 2: $33,687 Year 3: $37,105 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,109 Year 2: $30,409 Year 3: $35,029 Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $30,047 Year 3: $33,702 History (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,379 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: $40,922 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,928 Year 2: $36,437 Year 3: $39,876 Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $36,221 Year 3: $37,419 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,421 Year 2: $32,925 Year 3: $32,976 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $30,771 Year 3: N/A

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UM Western vs Castleton University

Castleton University

The University of Montana-Western

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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