Public
Accredited · Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Billings, Montana
Montana State University Billings — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
3.05Avg GPA
$18,473Annual Cost
$44,296Grad Salary
26.5%Pell Grant
Avg GPA
3.05
Selectivity
Open Enrollment
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Avg Net Price
$15,044
Need-Based Aid
26.5% receive Pell
Montana State University Billings, established in 1927, is a public university offering programs in education, business, and health sciences. The campus includes a aviation maintenance hangar and a downtown College of Technology.
MSUB is unranked but serves as an affordable option in the Northern Rockies. Its location in Montana's largest city provides urban amenities amid outdoor recreation opportunities.
Montana State University Billings Acceptance Rate
Montana State University Billings (MSU Billings) runs an open-access admission policy — with a 100% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Slightly below-average GPA? A strong test score or clear leadership track record can still keep you competitive.
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.05 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.85 – 3.04
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.60
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Montana State University Billings Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Montana State University Billings follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
MSU Billings reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (Priority Scholarships: 2026/12/01) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
MSU Billings GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at MSU Billings is 3.05. That makes admissions here moderately selective. Most admitted students carry a blend of A's, B's, and the occasional C.
A stronger SAT or ACT score can comfortably offset a GPA on the lower end of this range.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.25–3.45.MSU Billings GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.05 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.85 – 3.04
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.65 – 2.84
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.64
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- MSU Billings operates City College, a two-year branch offering its own catalog and programs, alongside the four-year university - worth distinguishing clearly for a family unsure which track fits.
- Writing proficiency can be satisfied through multiple alternate pathways (AP, IB, CLEP, MUS assessment) beyond the standard ACT/SAT writing thresholds - useful for a student who already has one of these scores from another context.
- A dedicated Native American Achievement Center operates on both the main campus and City College campus, reflecting MSU Billings' active tribal college transfer partnerships across Montana.
- Application deadline is functionally rolling - up to seven days before the start of the term - making this a genuinely late-window option for undecided students.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at MSU Billings
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Montana State University Billings's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Montana State University Billings (MSU Billings) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if MSU Billings is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into MSU Billings Without SAT or ACT?
MSU Billings's test-score policy isn't published. As a default, submit your score only if it's at or above the state/national average — a below-average score can work against you.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for MSU Billings
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
MSU Billings's open-access model means the real strategic decisions happen after enrollment: course planning, advising, and whether to transfer later.
Use documented alternate scores to satisfy the writing proficiency standard, don't retake unnecessarily
MSU Billings accepts a specific menu of alternatives to satisfy its writing proficiency requirement: a 7+ on the ACT essay (or 18+ combined English/Writing), a 7+ on the SAT essay (or 25+ Writing section), a 3.5+ on the Montana University System writing assessment, a 3+ on AP English Lang/Lit, a 4+ on IB Language A1, or a 50+ on CLEP composition. A student who already has any one of these documented shouldn't assume they need a fresh writing assessment - cross-check existing scores against this list before scheduling anything new.
Students admitted without meeting proficiency standards still get in - plan the catch-up courses proactively
MSU Billings explicitly admits students who haven't yet met math/writing proficiency standards, either unconditionally into a two-year program or provisionally into a four-year program - this isn't a rejection path, it's a deliberate on-ramp. A student in this position should meet with an academic advisor before orientation specifically to map out which developmental courses are needed and in what sequence, since the provisional four-year status carries an implicit expectation of catching up.
Native American applicants: layer the Tribal Homelands waiver, tuition waiver, and Native American Achievement Center together
MSU Billings runs a dedicated Native American Achievement Center with a satellite location on the City College campus, and Montana's system offers both a resident-tribal tuition waiver and a non-resident Tribal Homelands Scholarship for students whose tribal ancestry connects to the Montana area (not limited to Montana-based tribes for the general waiver). A Native student or family should apply for these waivers as their own FAFSA-linked process each year, and use the Achievement Center's staff to navigate both academic and cultural support from day one rather than discovering these resources after enrollment.
Homeschooled or unaccredited-school applicants: use test scores as your admission pathway, not just placement
For students who completed secondary education through homeschooling or an unaccredited school, MSU Billings explicitly allows satisfactory ACT/SAT performance to substitute for the standard "accredited high school diploma" admission requirement - this is a formal alternate pathway, not an informal workaround. A homeschool family should treat a solid ACT/SAT score as the actual admission credential in this case, not merely a placement tool.
Expert Insight:
Because MSU Billings explicitly admits students who haven't yet met math or writing proficiency standards, families sometimes treat this as equivalent to full admission with no further steps - but provisional four-year admission carries an expectation of resolving those gaps quickly, and a student who doesn't proactively schedule the needed developmental coursework at orientation can drift for a term or more without realizing their four-year status is still conditional.
MSU Billings Profile
Full Name
Montana State University Billings (MSU Billings)
City
Billings
State
Montana
ZIP Code
59101-0298
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Is a MSU Billings Degree Worth It?
Whether MSU Billings is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals — here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $48,700, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.62%.
How much does a degree from MSU Billings Cost?
The sticker price is $18,473/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is closer to $15,044.
26.5% of students receive a Pell Grant and 29.6% take federal loans at MSU Billings — file your FAFSA early and list MSU Billings as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a MSU Billings Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $44,296 — about 9% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Degree Programs at MSU Billings
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About MSU Billings Admissions
Median earnings for Montana State University Billings graduates sit around $44,296 a year.
At about $18,473 a year, Montana State University Billings is on the more affordable end.
About 26.5% receive a Pell Grant at Montana State University Billings — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
Admitted students at Montana State University Billings average a 3.05 GPA.
Montana State University Billings doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 2.75 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.65, Montana State University Billings becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
Montana State University Billings follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The application fee is 38. Fee waivers may be available — check with admissions.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Priority Scholarships: 2026/12/01. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.