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2023 Best Value Schools in Montana

Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

11 Schools Ranked
$22,979 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$22,660 Avg Student Debt*

With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools and bootcamps that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Schools in Montana ranking. This report analyzed 11 schools in Montana to see which ones offered the best value programs for students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

Top Value Schools in Montana

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

210 Total Awards
$9,570 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found Helena College University of Montana to be the best value school for students in Montana. Helena College University of Montana is a small public school located in Helena, Montana that handed out 210 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Helena College are $9,570 per year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $21,735 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Helena College, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $37,167 during the early years of their career.

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374 Total Awards
$22,509 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Montana Technological University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Schools in Montana list. Located in Butte, Montana, the small public school awarded 374 diplomas to qualifed students in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Montana Tech are $22,509 per year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,903 in student loans.After graduating from Montana Tech, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $63,042 during the early years of their career.

Montana Tech also took the #2 spot in our Best Schools in Montana rankings.

Read full report on Montana Technological University

351 Total Awards
$17,190 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at The University of Montana - Western helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value schools in Montana. This small public school is located in Dillon, Montana, and it awarded 351 degrees in 2020-2021.

Montana Western undergraduate students pay an average of $17,190 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,828 in student loans. During the early years of their career, Montana Western graduates make an average of $33,243 annually.

Montana Western also took the #5 spot in our Best Schools in Montana rankings.

Full The University of Montana - Western Report

273 Total Awards
$18,665 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Montana State University - Northern. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Schools in Montana list. Montana State University - Northern is a small public school situated in Havre, Montana. It awarded 273 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Montana State University - Northern are $18,665 per year. On average, students take out $23,100 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, Montana State University - Northern graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $43,349 during the early year of their career.

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791 Total Awards
$19,352 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Montana State University - Billings. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Schools in Montana list. Montana State University - Billings is a small public school situated in Billings, Montana. It awarded 791 degrees in 2020-2021.

Montana State University - Billings undergraduate students pay an average of $19,352 in tuition and fees each year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $23,399 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, Montana State University - Billings graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $41,648 during the early year of their career.

Read full report on Montana State University - Billings

#6

Flathead Valley Community College

Kalispell, Montana
312 Total Awards
$12,643 Average Tuition & Fees

Flathead Valley Community College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value programs. Located in Kalispell, Montana, the small public school awarded 312 diplomas to qualifed students in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Flathead Valley Community College are $12,643 a year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $17,064 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, Flathead Valley Community College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $36,219 during the early year of their career.

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#7

Montana State University

Bozeman, Montana
3,410 Total Awards
$28,264 Average Tuition & Fees

Montana State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Schools in Montana ranking. Montana State University is a fairly large public school located in Bozeman, Montana that handed out 3,410 degrees in 2020-2021.

MSU Bozeman undergraduate students pay an average of $28,264 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,435 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $305 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from MSU Bozeman, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $42,198 during the early years of their career.

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#8

The University of Montana

Missoula, Montana
3,113 Total Awards
$28,476 Average Tuition & Fees

The University of Montana came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Schools in Montana ranking. Missoula, Montana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 3,113 students in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UM are $28,476 a year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $25,131 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $275. During the early years of their career, UM graduates make an average of $38,416 annually.

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#9

University of Providence

Great Falls, Montana
357 Total Awards
$26,662 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Providence came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Schools in Montana ranking. This very small private not-for-profit school is located in Great Falls, Montana, and it awarded 357 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at University of Providence are $26,662 a year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $21,640 in student loans.After graduating from University of Providence, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $49,532 during the early years of their career.

University of Providence not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #1 on our Best Schools in Montana list.

Full University of Providence Report

#10

Rocky Mountain College

Billings, Montana
223 Total Awards
$31,335 Average Tuition & Fees

Rocky Mountain College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value programs. Billings, Montana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out degrees to 223 students in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Rocky are $31,335 per year. During the early years of their career, Rocky graduates make an average of $47,324 annually.

Rocky did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our Best Schools in Montana list.

Read full report on Rocky Mountain College

#10

Carroll College

Helena, Montana
308 Total Awards
$38,106 Average Tuition & Fees

Carroll College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Schools in Montana ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Helena, Montana, and it awarded 308 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Carroll Montana are $38,106 a year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $23,566 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, Carroll Montana graduates make an average of $33,212 annually.

Carroll Montana not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #3 on our Best Schools in Montana list.

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Best Value Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 11 schools only.

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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