Montana State University GPA (3.51) & Acceptance Rate (82%)

Q: What is Montana State University's acceptance rate?

Montana State University's acceptance rate was 82% for fall 2024: it admitted 17,786 of 21,652 first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Q: What GPA did Montana State University's first-year students have?

60.9% of Montana State University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (21.6%) had a 4.0, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.

Acceptance rate: 82% for fall 2024

Average high school GPA: 3.51, as reported by the college for 2025–26

SAT, middle 50%: 540–645 reading and writing, 525–640 math

ACT, middle 50%: 21–27 composite

Average net price: $18,511 a year (2022–23)

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Type your GPA to compare it with what Montana State University reported: an average GPA of 3.51 (2025–26), an acceptance rate of 82% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 21–27.

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A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Montana State University reviews each application.

Montana State University average GPA

Montana State University reported an average high school GPA of 3.51 for its first-year students, in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.

How their high school GPAs were spread:

High school GPA	Share of first-year students
4.0	21.6%
3.75–3.99	21.4%
3.50–3.74	17.9%
3.25–3.49	12.3%
3.00–3.24	10.2%
2.50–2.99	11.7%
2.00–2.49	3.9%
1.00–1.99	1%

First-year students who submitted a high school GPA, as Montana State University reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.

An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.

Montana State University acceptance rate

Montana State University admitted 17,786 of 21,652 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 82%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Montana State University is a public 4-year university in Bozeman, Montana, with 15,046 undergraduates.

SAT and ACT scores

Scores of the first-year students who entered Montana State University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:

Test	25th percentile	Median	75th percentile
SAT Reading and Writing	540	590	645
SAT Math	525	580	640
ACT Composite	21	24	27
ACT English	20	23	27
ACT Math	19	23	27

21% submitted SAT scores and 38% submitted ACT scores, as Montana State University reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1183 for admitted students.

Admission requirements

What Montana State University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:

Admission factor	Status
High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average.	Required
High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned.	Required
High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class.	Considered if submitted
College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school.	Considered if submitted
Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores.	Considered if submitted
RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors.	Not considered
Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application.	Not considered
Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III.	Not considered
Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations.	Not considered
Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work.	Not considered
Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college.	Not considered

Requirements can differ by program and applicant type, so check with Montana State University's admissions office before you apply.

AP credit

Montana State University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

It also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.

Average net price

First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $18,511 a year at Montana State University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Frequently asked questions

How selective is Montana State University?

Not very selective: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Montana State University admitted 82% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.

What is Montana State University's acceptance rate?

Montana State University's acceptance rate was 82% for fall 2024: it admitted 17,786 of 21,652 first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Can a 3.0 GPA get you into Montana State University?

It would be on the low side there: 16.6% of Montana State University's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.0, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set, and it admitted 82% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.

What GPA did Montana State University's first-year students have?

60.9% of Montana State University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (21.6%) had a 4.0, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.

How much does GPA matter at Montana State University?

A lot: Montana State University requires high school GPA and high school record. It considers high school class rank, college preparatory program and test scores if you send them. It doesn't consider recommendations, essay or personal statement, other tests, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Is there a minimum GPA for Montana State University?

Montana State University doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.51, as reported by the college in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.

What are Montana State University's SAT and ACT score ranges?

The middle 50% of Montana State University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 540–645 in reading and writing and 525–640 in math; ACT composite 21–27, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.

Does Montana State University require the SAT or ACT?

Check Montana State University's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Montana State University was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 21% sent SAT scores and 38% sent ACT scores.

Does Montana State University give credit for AP exams?

Yes. Montana State University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

What is the average net price at Montana State University?

First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $18,511 a year at Montana State University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Before you apply, check Montana State University's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.

Sources

College Navigator: Montana State UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
Montana State University Common Data Set 2025–26Montana State University: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).

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