Funding has been a major hurdle for the Montana University System, especially during the past decade. Costs have rapidly outpaced state budgetary appropriations for higher education over the past two decades and shifted the financial burden to students and their families.

During the 1990s, the state altered the way it funds higher education, forcing tuition increases. Early in the decade, state funds accounted for about 70 percent of the support for UM's educational programs and about 45 percent of the total budget. Today state funds contribute 20 percent of UM's total operating budget.

Appropriations of State Tax Funds for Higher Education Per $1,000 Personal Income