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2024 Best Colleges in Montana

11 Colleges
$43,269 Avg Salary*
27% Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*

When pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Top Montana Colleges ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Our analysis looked at 11 schools in Montana to determine which ones were the best in terms of overall quality. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as graduation rate, post graduate earnings, and a school's average expenditure per student - to make this determination.

Learn more about our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.

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We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!

Top Colleges in Montana

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

1
MSU Bozeman crest
Montana State University
Bozeman, Montana

Our analysis found Montana State University to be the best school for overall quality in Montana in this year’s ranking. MSU Bozeman is located in Bozeman, Montana and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,410 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $49,066 during the early years of their career..

Read full report on Montana State University

2

Out of the 11 schools in Montana that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Montana - Western landed the #2 spot on the list. Montana Western is a public institution located in Dillon, Montana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 351 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Montana Western is $39,755 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

3
UM crest
The University of Montana
Missoula, Montana

A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges in Montana list means The University of Montana is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Missoula, Montana, the medium-sized public school awarded 3,113 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UM is $41,194 during the early years of their career.

Full The University of Montana Report

4
University of Providence crest
University of Providence
Great Falls, Montana

Out of the 11 schools in Montana that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Providence landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Great Falls, Montana, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 357 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from University of Providence make an average of $39,417 per year during the early years of their career.

Read full report on University of Providence

5

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Montana Technological University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Montana. Montana Technological University is a small public school located in Butte, Montana that handed out 374 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, graduates from Montana Tech make an average of $49,032 a year.

Full Montana Technological University Report

6
Rocky crest
Rocky Mountain College
Billings, Montana

Rocky Mountain College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges in Montana list.Billings, Montana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 223 students in 2020-2021.

Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $46,400 during the early years of their career..

Full Rocky Mountain College Report

7
Carroll Montana crest
Carroll College
Helena, Montana

Carroll College landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Montana ranking. Carroll Montana is located in Helena, Montana and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 308 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Carroll Montana make an average of $57,154 a year.

Full Carroll College Report

8

Montana State University - Billings came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Montana ranking. Montana State University - Billings is located in Billings, Montana and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 791 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Montana State University - Billings make an average of $40,043 per year during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Montana State University - Billings

9

Montana State University - Northern did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Montana ranking, coming in at #9. Montana State University - Northern is a small public school located in Havre, Montana that handed out 273 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, graduates from Montana State University - Northern make an average of $42,403 a year.

Read full report on Montana State University - Northern

10

Helena College University of Montana came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Montana ranking. Located in Helena, Montana, the small public school awarded 210 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Helena College make an average of $39,421 per year during the early years of their career.

Read More…

11

Flathead Valley Community College landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Montana ranking. Flathead Valley Community College is located in Kalispell, Montana and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 312 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $32,078 during the early years of their career..

Read full report on Flathead Valley Community College

Best Colleges in the Rocky Mountains Region

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 11 schools only.

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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