PlainCollege

State profile · 28 colleges · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Colleges in Montana

Colleges in Montana from PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, compared on acceptance, cost, and 10-year former-student earnings.

28
Colleges
$38,344
Avg 10-yr earnings (25 of 28)
80.0%
Avg acceptance

Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

Montana · the picture in one line

Montana's 25 of 28 colleges that report earnings average $38,344 in 10-year former-student earnings - 45th highest of 56 states and territories that report.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

#45
of 56 states by avg former-student earnings
$61,772
top earnings - Carroll College
79.9%
avg acceptance (7 reporting)
19 / 5 / 4
public / nonprofit / for-profit

Best earnings-to-cost value among Montana colleges with reported figures: Montana State University-Northern.

Montana · enrollment ≠ earnings

In Montana, Montana State University leads by undergraduate enrollment (14,451 students, #1 of 24) but ranks #4 of 24 on 10-year median earnings ($53,263), while Carroll College tops earnings at $61,772 (#1 of 24) with 1,092 students (#7 of 24). The biggest campus is not always the highest-paying outcome.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

14,451
Montana State enrollment #1
$61,772
Carroll College earnings #1
#1
Enrollment rank of earnings leader
#4
Earnings rank of enrollment leader

Enrollment is IPEDS fall headcount; earnings are Scorecard 10-year medians for federally aided former students. Different populations, not one ROI ratio.

Enrollment of Montana's #1 campuses by size vs earnings

Same unit (undergraduate students) for both named leaders.

students

What this shows Montana State University is largest by enrollment; Carroll College leads on 10-year earnings at $61,772.

Source IPEDS via College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

This page aggregates colleges and universities in Montana returned by PlainCollege's U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard snapshot. It combines IPEDS-derived institutional fields with Treasury-derived earnings published for federal-aid recipients. Coverage includes public flagships, regional comprehensives, community and technical colleges, private nonprofit institutions, and for-profit schools.

The state-aggregate statistics below include all reporting institutions in Montana as a single denominator, community colleges, public universities, private nonprofits, and for-profit institutions are pooled. State averages are therefore useful for high-level framing (in-state tuition is X, average admission rate is Y, average earnings are Z) but should not be read as representative of any specific sector or institution. Drill into individual school profiles for the full picture: admissions, costs (sticker and net), federal-aid usage, completion, retention, demographics, and earnings outcomes 6 and 10 years after enrollment.

The Scorecard data used here was retrieved in March–July 2026. That retrieval window is not the measurement year: tuition and enrollment fields retain their source reporting periods, while 10-year institution earnings describe federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, a decade after entry.

Largest Colleges in Montana by Enrollment

IPEDS Fall enrollment via College Scorecard.

students

What this shows Enrollment size reflects institutional scale, not quality or on-campus experience - a large school here can still be a small, selective program relative to its state peers.

Source IPEDS As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Highest Earnings, 10-Year Median: Montana

U.S. Treasury earnings linkage via College Scorecard.

USD

What this shows Former-student earnings vary by program mix and local labor market as much as by the school itself; this comparison does not isolate a school's causal effect.

Source College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

The ROI lens

Montana colleges: earnings vs. cost

Montana colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 14 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Montana colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $28K $65K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $7K $25K Avg Net Price ($) Montana State University: $53K earn · $22K net · 57% grad Montana State Univ… The University of Montana: $45K earn · $17K net · 47% grad The University of … Montana State University Billings: $44K earn · $17K net · 29% grad Montana State Univ… Montana Technological University: $54K earn · $16K net · 58% grad Montana Technologi… Flathead Valley Community College: $39K earn · $8K net · 28% grad Flathead Valley Co… The University of Montana-Western: $43K earn · $17K net · 50% grad The University of … Carroll College: $62K earn · $24K net · 68% grad Great Falls College Montana State University: $38K earn · $12K net · 33% grad Rocky Mountain College: $49K earn · $20K net · 48% grad Montana State University-Northern: $50K earn · $13K net · 42% grad Helena College University of Montana: $41K earn · $12K net · 37% grad Salish Kootenai College: $33K earn · $8K net · 32% grad University of Providence: $48K earn · $18K net · 36% grad Highlands College of Montana Tech: $54K earn · $15K net · 36% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

National context

How Montana ranks among the states

Montana's average 10-year earnings of $38,344 place it in the 21st percentile among all 56 states and territories tracked by the College Scorecard.

Montana: average former-student earnings vs. every state

State-average 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$38,344 21st percentile higher than 21% of 56 states & territories

$24,000–$28,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $28,000–$32,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $32,000–$36,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $36,000–$40,000: 12 states & territories (21%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$44,000: 14 states & territories (25%). Above this entry. $44,000–$48,000: 10 states & territories (18%). Above this entry. $48,000–$52,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Above this entry. $52,000–$56,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. $56,000–$60,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. MT $24,000 $60,000 every state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $4K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Montana vs. every state, at a glance
EarningsAffordabilityOptionsAccess

Each axis is this state's percentile among all states & territories on that metric (Earnings/Affordability/Options/Access) -- not a composite grade, just four independent comparisons in one shape.

School type matters

How school type shapes earnings in Montana

Average 10-year former-student earnings by institution type. Program mix, selectivity, student background, and local labor markets all contribute to the observed gaps, so read this beside each school's own figures.

Average former-student earnings by school type - Montana

Mean of per-school 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

avg earnings

What this shows Keeping schools within one state reduces some regional variation, but this descriptive comparison does not control for program mix, selection, or student background.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
28
Total Schools
$9,308
Avg In-State Tuition (24 of 28)
79.9%
Avg Acceptance Rate (7 of 28)
$38,344
Avg Median Earnings (25 of 28)
19 Public 5 Private NP 4 For-Profit
Ownership Breakdown

What the IPEDS Data Shows for Colleges in Montana

PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset contains 28 postsecondary institutions in Montana. The ownership mix is 19 public institutions, 5 private nonprofits, and 4 private for-profit schools. Public institutions often report lower in-state tuition because state appropriations subsidize the published price, while private nonprofits may show higher sticker prices partly offset by institutional aid.

Cost and selectivity signals vary widely even within a single state. The average in-state tuition among the 24 of 28 Montana institutions that report one is $9,308, and the average admission rate among the 7 that report one sits at 79.9%. Admission rates from IPEDS exclude open-enrollment institutions, which is why community colleges and many for-profits show as unreported rather than at 100 percent. Looking at the table, the acceptance-rate column is blank for schools that don’t screen applicants, a meaningful distinction when evaluating selectivity alongside earnings.

Institution-level earnings connect cost to one observed outcome. Among the 25 of 28 Montana colleges that report 10-year median earnings, federally aided former students show a mean of $38,344, based on Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard. Because earnings depend heavily on field of study, student background, and local labor markets, state-level averages should be read alongside each school’s program mix. The table sorts institutions with reported IPEDS enrollment so users can compare acceptance rates, enrollment scale, and median earnings side by side.

All Schools in Montana

School Name City Type Enrollment Acceptance Rate 10yr Earnings
Montana State University Bozeman Public 14,451 82.1% $53,263
The University of Montana Missoula Public 7,488 95.9% $44,511
Montana State University Billings Billings Public 2,626 - $44,296
Montana Technological University Butte Public 1,480 91.0% $54,329
Flathead Valley Community College Kalispell Public 1,202 - $38,520
The University of Montana-Western Dillon Public 1,198 99.8% $43,229
Carroll College Helena Private NP 1,092 70.9% $61,772
Great Falls College Montana State University Great Falls Public 894 - $38,034
Rocky Mountain College Billings Private NP 840 69.6% $49,036
Montana State University-Northern Havre Public 761 - $49,505
Helena College University of Montana Helena Public 585 - $40,738
Salish Kootenai College Pablo Public 580 - $32,725
University of Providence Great Falls Private NP 528 50.3% $48,296
Highlands College of Montana Tech Butte Public 342 - $54,329
Miles Community College Miles City Public 332 - $42,862
Blackfeet Community College Browning Private NP 286 - $22,953
Fort Peck Community College Poplar Public 282 - $14,747
Little Big Horn College Crow Agency Public 253 - $21,152
Stone Child College Box Elder Public 193 - $24,555
Dawson Community College Glendive Public 189 - $41,951
Chief Dull Knife College Lame Deer Public 183 - $20,073
Montana Academy of Salons Great Falls For-Profit 126 - $28,841
Aaniiih Nakoda College Harlem Public 106 - $30,528
Aveda Institute Montana Billings For-Profit 80 - -
Crevier's Academy of Cosmetology Arts Kalispell For-Profit 79 - $14,047
Academy of Cosmetology Inc Bozeman For-Profit 39 - -
Montana Bible College Billings Private NP 24 - -
City College Montana State University Billings Billings Public - - $44,296

Featured Colleges in Montana

Quick picks from this state – compare two schools side by side

Montana State University
Bozeman, MT
14,451 students
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT
7,488 students
Montana State University Billings
Billings, MT
2,626 students
Montana Technological University
Butte, MT
1,480 students
Flathead Valley Community College
Kalispell, MT
1,202 students
Compare Montana State University vs The University of Montana →

Explore more Montana data

Highest-earning colleges → Best value colleges → ROI calculator → Compare states →

Guides & Resources

Is College Worth It?

A data-driven answer using earnings and cost data.

How to Compare Colleges

A framework for picking schools with data, not rankings alone.

Financial Aid & Net Price

How net price differs from sticker price and financial aid.

Understanding College Earnings Data

How Scorecard earnings figures are measured and their limits.

About This Data

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, PlainCollege's current snapshots were retrieved in March–July 2026. This state's institution-level figures come from the July retrieval, including IPEDS-derived characteristics. Earnings represent median income 10 years after enrollment for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, using U.S. Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for Montana applicants

  • Montana has 28 colleges in PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, spanning community colleges, public flagships, and private institutions.
  • Average reported admission rate across Montana colleges is 80.0% - individual schools vary widely, check each profile for its own rate.
  • State-level averages pool every reporting institution together; run a specific school's numbers before assuming the state figure applies to it.Use the ROI calculator

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or educational advice. State-level averages pool every reporting institution and do not predict any individual school's outcome.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. State-level rollups are computed directly from College Scorecard and IPEDS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.