Computer Engineering at Montana State University

Montana State's Computer Engineering program starts graduates at $67,015—nearly $12,000 below the national median for this degree. That 14th percentile national ranking is concerning for a field known for strong starting salaries. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means a few outliers could significantly skew these numbers, and the program does rank at the 60th percentile within Montana's limited options for computer engineering.

The debt picture offers a silver lining: at $30,500, graduates carry manageable loans that sit in just the 5th percentile nationally, meaning 95% of similar programs burden students with more debt. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 is reasonable, translating to roughly half a year's salary in loans. For a state school with an 87% admission rate, this accessibility combined with controlled debt makes the program less risky than the earnings alone suggest.

The core question is whether these Montana earnings reflect the program's quality or simply the state's tech job market. With only three schools offering this degree in Montana, graduates may need to look out of state to capture the earning potential typical of computer engineering. If your child plans to stay in Montana, this program performs adequately relative to local options. But if they're aiming for Seattle, California, or other tech hubs, they should understand they're starting from a lower baseline than peers from higher-ranked programs—though with less debt to service while they climb.