Side-by-side
Montana State University vs San Jose State University
The numbers that actually decide it — net price after aid, how hard each is to get into, and how many students finish — compared straight across. Net price beats sticker price every time.
Similar selectivity (85% vs 82%) but out-of-state cost runs $21k — meaningfully less than $33k.
| Montana State University | San Jose State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 82% | 85% |
| Net price (in-state) what the average family actually pays after aid | $8,460 | $8,410 |
| Net price (out-of-state) | $33,287 | $21,010 |
| Sticker tuition (in-state) | $8,460 | $8,410 |
| Sticker tuition (out-of-state) | $33,287 | $21,010 |
| Graduation rate | 57% | 67% |
| Total enrollment | 14,451 | 27,601 |
Net price = sticker price minus the average grant aid for that school (IPEDS / Dept. of Education data). Real numbers vary by family income and student stats — verify each school's own Net Price Calculator before committing. Canonical: /compare/montana-state-university-vs-san-jose-state-university.