2026 Best Value Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in Montana
[Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students.
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2026 Best Value Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in Montana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools
Leading the list is Montana State University Northern, our #1 best value for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting in Montana. Montana State University Northern is a small public school located in the town of Havre. In-state tuition and fees average $6,982, with out-of-state students paying around $21,875. Students borrow a median of $24,069 to complete the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program here. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting graduates of Montana State University Northern earn a median of $43,158 early in their careers. Set against $24,069 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Montana State University Billings earned it the #2 place for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting. Montana State University Billings is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Billings. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,280, compared with $22,897 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting graduates is $25,465. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting graduates of Montana State University Billings earn a median of $48,764 early in their careers. Set against $25,465 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Montana State University one of the best values for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting. Located in the city of Bozeman, Montana State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,460, compared with $33,287 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,635 to complete the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program here. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting graduates of Montana State University earn a median of $47,703 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
