Welcome to MSU
Montana State University in Bozeman is as remarkable and inviting as its setting. Created as a land-grant institution, it consists of an adventurous community of students, faculty and staff who are committed to addressing the world’s greatest challenges. MSU empowers individuals to discover and pursue their aspirations, inspiring them to improve the human prospect through excellence in education, research, creativity and civic responsibility. Learn more about MSU at montana.edu/about.
MSU At-A-Glance
Year founded: 1893
Enrollment: 17,144 (fall 2024)
Degrees offered: MSU provides a range of degree options tailored to diverse career goals, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. These include more than 250 undergraduate programs, more than 25 programs offered through MSU’s two-year college, Gallatin College MSU, and more than 115 graduate programs available through The Graduate School.
Accreditation: MSU is regionally accredited by Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Professional schools and departments are approved by specialized accrediting organizations.
Our surroundings: Located in Bozeman, Montana and situated just 89 miles from Yellowstone National Park, MSU is at the center of an adventurer’s paradise. With access to three rivers, five mountain ranges, two ski areas and millions of acres of wilderness, MSU students have endless opportunities to ski, hike, fish, kayak and more. Bozeman is also home to a plethora of cultural amenities, including concert venues, festivals and local shops, restaurants and galleries that make downtown Bozeman vibrant.
Academic year: MSU offers fall and spring semesters and summer sessions.
Entering first-time students: Average High School GPA: 3.60; Average ACT: 24.4; Average SAT: 1193.
Athletics: Montana State is home to 13 NCAA Division I teams and more than 27 club sports. MSU competes in the Big Sky Conference and the FCS Football Championship Subdivision.
Varsity sports:
Men: football, basketball, cross country, Alpine and Nordic skiing, tennis, track and field, NIRA rodeo, spirit squad.
Women: basketball, cross country, Alpine and Nordic skiing, tennis, track and field, golf, volleyball, NIRA rodeo, spirit squad.
Mascot: The Bobcat was selected as MSU's mascot in 1916 for its cunning intelligence, athletic prowess and independent spirit.
School colors: MSU’s colors are blue and gold—or, more specifically, “Ether Blue” and “Sunlight Gold.” Ether Blue symbolizes the sky, while Sunlight Gold is for the sunshine that graces Bozeman 300 days a year and the rich earth that is the Gallatin Valley.
MSU Highlights
- MSU is among the top 10 colleges and universities in the country for its number of Goldwater Scholarship recipients, the nation’s premier award for excellence in math, science or engineering.
- The best and brightest Montana high school graduates choose MSU. Of the graduating high-school seniors who received the Montana University System Honors Scholarship in fall of 2024, 69 percent chose to enroll at MSU.
- Many of MSU’s programs are recognized among the best in the country, including its programs in business, filmmaking, animal and range sciences, cybersecurity and engineering.
- MSU is the largest university in Montana and the largest research and development entity of any kind in the state. This translates into many opportunities for students to be a part of meaningful, hands-on research and creative projects, along with economic prosperity for the area.
- MSU students are engaged, consistently giving back to their communities through service-learning projects. MSU accounting students regularly volunteer to provide free tax-preparation to individuals and families in need, MSU education students can often be found volunteering to help local school children improve in reading and math, and nursing students provide assistance at community dental screenings, bone-marrow drives and more. These are just a few of the ways MSU students are integrating service into their education.
- MSU research has led to significant discoveries that are changing the world. With more than 320 active technology licenses, 56 active issued patents and 42 active plant variety certificates, MSU provides particular expertise in the fields of agriculture and natural resources, energy, materials and manufacturing, health and biomedical sciences, as well as big-data and cyber infrastructure.
A Unique Learning Environment
MSU is the only university with easy access to Yellowstone National Park. For MSU students, Yellowstone is a 20-million-acre classroom, lab and adventure hub featuring hot springs, rivers, peaks and wildlife. Amid this stunning backdrop, MSU students help research topics such as ecology, extreme microbes living in unique environments like Yellowstone’s, and the science behind avalanches.
Undergraduate Excellence
The Carnegie Foundation classifies MSU as an institution with a very high undergraduate profile. Combined with its status as one of the top research universities in the nation, this gives MSU’s undergraduate students opportunities to do research of national importance on a variety of topics—opportunities that would typically be reserved for graduate students at other universities.
Learning
MSU prepares students to graduate equipped for careers and further education. Working alongside world-class faculty mentors, students discover new knowledge that helps to improve the quality of life around the globe. This supportive and collaborative learning environment helps students succeed in competing for national and international scholarships and awards, including the Goldwater, Rhodes and Gates Cambridge scholarships.
Discovery
Montana State is the largest research entity in the state of Montana and is among the top public colleges and universities in the nation for research spending. MSU consistently breaks new university records for research activity, surpassing $257.9 million in annual research expenditures in 2024. Areas of expertise include cybersecurity, biomedical sciences, optics, solar physics, agriculture, the environment, snow science, Yellowstone studies, paleontology and more.
Engagement
MSU consistently earns the Community Engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, which recognizes MSU’s commitment to teaching that encourages volunteer service and the spreading of knowledge that benefits the public. Through student clubs, class projects and outreach activities, MSU students help people and communities around the globe.
Statewide Research, Educational Outreach and Service
As a land-grant institution, MSU is committed to state-focused activities with global impacts, sharing its research and discoveries to benefit local Montana communities. Below are just a few of the ways that MSU is providing services and knowledge that benefit Montanans.
Montana Agricultural Experiment Station
agresearch.montana.edu
Through a network of seven research centers across Montana and scientists at the MSU campus in Bozeman, the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station serves local agricultural and natural resource industries by providing meaningful and applied research.
Engineering Experiment Station
coe.montana.edu/eng_exp_station.html
The Engineering Experiment Station at Montana State University was created by the State Board of Education in 1924 to improve the economy efficiency and safety of engineering activity in Montana. The program additionally promotes the conservation and utilization of Montana resources and encourages the development of new business activities in Montana.
MSU Extension
MSU Extension provides knowledge to strengthen the economic, social and environmental well-being of Montana families, communities and agricultural industries.
The focal point of MSU Extension is its 56 offices across the state, which serve all of Montana’s 56 counties and seven tribal reservations. These offices provide programming in the general areas of agriculture, family living, community and economic development and youth development. One of Extension’s best-known programs is the Montana 4-H youth development program. Another unit of MSU Extension is the Montana Fire Services Training School, which provides training for paid and volunteer firefighters throughout the state.
Montana Public Television - KUSM
montanapbs.org
Montana Public Television is the primary public television provider for the state of Montana and is a service of Montana State University and the University of Montana.
Museum of the Rockies
museumoftherockies.org
MSU’s Museum of the Rockies is home to one of the largest collections of dinosaur fossils in the world. The museum’s dedicated staff strives to understand and preserve the natural and cultural history of the Northern Rocky Mountain region. The museum accomplishes this mission through research, collections, exhibits and programs for the education and entertainment of people of all ages.
Connect with MSU
Connect with Montana State University online to keep up with the latest news.
- fb.com/groups/montanastate2029 - Join MSU’s Class of 2029 Facebook group to connect with other new MSU students.
- @montanastateuniversity - Stay informed on all things MSU and experience MSU through photography and videos on Instagram.
- fb.com/montanastate - See snapshots of life at MSU, stay up to date with campus events and learn about exciting discoveries and achievements on the university’s main Facebook page.
- fbcom/montanastatebobcats - Follow Bobcat Athletics to find out about upcoming games and see the latest scores. Go Cats!
- @montanastateadmissions - Follow the MSU admissions crew on Instagram to learn more about visiting MSU and student life.
- MSUTube - Subscribe to MSU's YouTube channel to see recently uploaded videos.
- Subscribe to the Bobcat Bulletin, a weekly e-newsletter with upcoming events and news from campus.
- Check out the #MontanaState hashtag to see what people are saying about MSU.
MSU Bobcat Parent and Family Program
All parents and family members of MSU students are given automatic membership in the Bobcat Parent and Family Program. The program offers several resources and events designed to encourage a strong relationship between families and the university. They include a parent and family fall weekend, parent communications and scholarship fundraising.