by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in Montana, narrowing things down is no easy task. This list ranks **5** programs by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual evaluated 5 graduate schools using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Here is the early-career salary range across the top-ranked graduate schools:
Learn more about these excellent graduate schools below:
No school ranked higher than Carroll College this year in Montana. Located in Helena, MT, Carroll College is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $41,484. Graduates go on to earn a median of $40,797 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $24,912 to complete a degree here.
Out of the 5 graduate schools in Montana in this year's ranking, Montana State University landed the #2 spot. This public school is set in Bozeman, MT. Montana State University posts a six-year graduation rate of 57%. In-state tuition and fees average $8,460, with out-of-state students paying around $33,287. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $47,703. The median student debt is $23,635.
Out of the 5 graduate schools in Montana in this year's ranking, Montana Tech Of The University Of Montana landed the #3 spot. Montana Tech Of The University Of Montana is a public school based in Butte, MT. Roughly 58% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $8,289, with out-of-state students paying around $26,094. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $68,773. Typical student debt is $23,962.
You'll be in good company at Rocky Mountain College, which ranked #4 this year. Set in Billings, MT, Rocky Mountain College is a private not-for-profit institution. Rocky Mountain College posts a six-year graduation rate of 48%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $35,582. Early-career graduates earn a median of $50,022. Graduates carry a median of $25,666 in student loans.
University Of Great Falls came in at #5 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Montana. University Of Great Falls is a private not-for-profit school based in Great Falls, MT. Roughly 21% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $30,448 in tuition and fees. Median early-career earnings reach $104,670. Graduates carry a median of $23,847 in student loans.
The University Of Montana came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Missoula, MT, The University Of Montana is a public institution. About 49% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,552, compared with $33,671 for out-of-state students. The University Of Montana graduates report median early-career earnings of $42,654. Typical student debt is $24,342.
Montana State University Billings ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Montana State University Billings is a public school based in Billings, MT. Montana State University Billings graduates 34% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,280, with out-of-state students paying around $22,897. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $48,764. Students borrow a median of $25,465 to complete a degree here.
Salish Kootenai College did well this year, earning the #8 position. Based in Pablo, MT, Salish Kootenai College is a public institution. Salish Kootenai College graduates 5% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,311, while out-of-state students pay about $11,583. Graduates go on to earn a median of $52,607 early in their careers.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
