Head-to-head comparison
Montana State University Billings vs Montana Technological University: which has better ROI?
Option A Billings, MT
Montana State University Billings
- Net price / year
- $16,524
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,296
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Butte, MT
Montana Technological University
- Net price / year
- $16,481
- Earnings, 10 years
- $54,329
- Payback
- 11 yrs
Montana Technological University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $65,924 in 11 years versus not at all at Montana State University Billings, on median earnings of $54,329 vs $44,296 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Montana State University Billings | Montana Technological University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,524 | $16,481 |
| Total net cost | $66,096 | $65,924 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,296 | $54,329 |
| Median debt | $18,209 | $18,750 |
| Payback | — | 11 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$147,376 | $53,456 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Montana State University Billings or Montana Technological University?
Montana Technological University, at $16,481 a year after aid versus $16,524 — a gap of $43 a year, or $172 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Montana State University Billings or Montana Technological University graduates earn more?
Montana Technological University graduates report a median $54,329 ten years after entry, $10,033 more than the $44,296 at Montana State University Billings. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Montana State University Billings or Montana Technological University?
Montana State University Billings: its completers carry a median $18,209 in federal loans versus $18,750 at Montana Technological University, a difference of $541. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
58% of students finish at Montana Technological University, against 30% at Montana State University Billings. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.