The overall headcount enrollment at the University of Montana for spring semester is down 5.4 percent when compared to spring semester 2017. The total spring headcount is 10,987, which is 628 fewer students than a year ago.

UM Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs, Dr. Tom Crady said the decline was anticipated and planned for in the budget.

“We dropped by about 300 last spring, and right now we’re down about 5.4 percent, which is a little bit more for students that have already paid,” Crady said. “If all the students pay that we hope to pay, then it would be around the same range.”

Crady said one of the big factors in the enrollment numbers is the sheer size of the most recent graduating class.

“This spring we’re going to be losing a lot of students, more than just what’s in the junior class by about 800 students, so we’ve got to even out those bumps throughout the enrollment cycle.”

Crady said from his experience, the University of Montana offers the best value in higher education.

“I wish I’d known about the University of Montana when I went to college,” he said. “Tuition and fees right now for in-state students are $7,063, and room and board is $9,178, so the total is about $16,241. If you’re out of state its $24,900 for tuition and fees with $9,100 for room and board for a total of about $34,000. If you look at Missoula College, tuition and fees are about $3,400, and a lot of students live off campus, so it’s a bargain in Missoula, that’s no question.”

The headcount at the University’s mountain campus was down 6 percent. However, UM’s two-year Missoula College was down only 1.8 percent compared to a year ago. Early admittance and dual enrollment students were up 18.1 percent. MC was down 29 students overall this spring when compared to last spring. The college enrolls 1,580 students.

The full census data is available here.

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