by our College Data Analytics TeamThis page focuses on the debt students take on to attend The University of Montana-Western— how much they borrow, how that debt is spread across the student body, and what it costs to pay back. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
At Montana Western, 50% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, at roughly $9,236 apiece. This figure includes both private and federally funded student loans.
On the federal side, the average loan is $7,890. That is at or past the $5,500 federal first-year limit for the typical dependent freshman. Be aware: the undergraduate-wide averages below exclude private loans, while this freshman number includes them.
Among all degree-seeking undergrads at Montana Western, 38% finance part of their studies with federal loans, borrowing on average $8,702 per year. That is 10.3% more than the first-year federal average of $7,890.
Borrowing at that rate every year works out to about $17,404 over two years and about $34,808 after four. These figures assume identical federal borrowing each year and omit private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 38% |
| Average federal loan per year | $8,702 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 496 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $4,316,248 |
The median student at Montana Western borrows $12,000 of cumulative federal debt.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $12,000 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $21,000 |
| Students who withdrew | $9,050 |
Debt carried by students who withdrew is a key risk signal — these borrowers owe money without having earned the credential.
The median hides the spread, so the percentiles below show cumulative federal debt at four points in the distribution for Montana Western.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,750 |
| 25th percentile | $5,381 |
| 75th percentile | $23,500 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $31,000 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is the clearest single measure of how widely borrowing varies at Montana Western.
The figures above count only the students own federal loans. Adding PLUS loans (borrowed by parents or graduate students) gives a fuller picture of total borrowing at Montana Western.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 183 | $10,179 |
| Completed (graduates) | 49 | $11,827 |
| Did not complete | 134 | $10,000 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $140.64/mo.
The split below distinguishes Stafford borrowers from non-Stafford borrowers at Montana Western.
Current-Year Stafford Borrowers
| Cohort | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford loan this year | 148 | $9,972 |
| No Stafford loan this year | 35 | $13,144 |
Repayment burden translates the debt figures into what a borrower actually pays each month. Montana Western.
The default rate measures how many borrowers fall behind and ultimately fail to repay their federal loans. The federal two-year cohort default rate for Montana Western appears below.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 9.1% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 339 |
The cohort default rate tracks borrowers who entered repayment in a given year and defaulted within the two-year measurement window.
Borrowing varies by family income, by first-generation status, and by dependency status.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,137 |
| Middle income | $11,000 |
| High income | $12,000 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,000 |
| Continuing-generation students | $12,000 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $12,000 |
| Independent students | $14,091 |
These pre-calculated indicators summarize the borrowing gaps between cohorts at Montana Western.
Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Loans
Subsidized loans pause interest while you are in school; unsubsidized loans do not. That difference compounds over four years, so the type of loan you take matters as much as the amount.
Worth Knowing
Federal student loans are not discharged in bankruptcy in all but the rarest cases, and the government can withhold part of your income or tax refund if you default.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.