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Business Administration at The University of Montana

Missoula, MT · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Business Administration, Management and Operations

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $37,784/yr (-19% vs median)

AI Risk High (47% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (1,753,300 openings/yr)

ROI 18.3x earnings multiple (4.7x out-of-state)

Ranked #391 of 1,169 Business Administration programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Business Administration graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$605K	$596K	$538K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	18.6x	18.3x	16.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.8x	4.7x	4.3x
Probability of Field Employment	47%	43%	32%
DegreeOutlook Score	66	66	61

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$32,608

Out-of-state: $126,488 (4.7x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$68,472

-110% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$20,359

6.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$63,873

69% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $37,784 per year, Business Administration graduates from The University of Montana earn below the $46,892 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.

The 18.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $20,359 debt-to-$37,784 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #391 out of 1,169 programs, The University of Montana's Business Administration offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $37,784 to $63,873 over five years (69% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About The University of Montana

With 96% of applicants admitted, The University of Montana prioritizes broad access, with a mid-sized student body of 7,079 in Missoula, MT.

See all programs and financial aid at The University of Montana →

Top Career Paths

Chief executives $206,420/yr

Computer and information systems managers $171,200/yr

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr

View all 42 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Business Administration at Other Schools

Other Majors at The University of Montana

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does The University of Montana's Business Administration program score?

This program scores 66/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Business Administration graduates.

How vulnerable is Business Administration to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Business Administration careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why are Business Administration earnings lower at The University of Montana?

Lower starting pay at The University of Montana may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →