MSU Office of Research and Economic Development
Montana State University was established in 1893 under the land grant mission to further the education of students in the region and to institute research facilities to serve the broader constituency.
MSU is the largest research university in Montana and contributes significantly to the regional economy by creating jobs, providing contracts to businesses, and applying research findings. The land grant mission is particularly important for health research, as investigators recognize the importance of sharing their results with practitioners and patients who could directly benefit from their findings.
For the fourth year in a row, Montana State University recorded an all-time high for research expenditures, and the tally of $201 million for the fiscal year ending in June 2022 puts MSU Research over the $200 million mark for the first time ever. Over the last decade, MSU has earned a reputation for high research activity. Currently MSU is ranked as “very high research activity” under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions. MSU currently holds 63 active issued patents for significant MSU discoveries, with 53 more pending.