The cost of college in Montana — and what it pays back
Across the 18 Montana institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $13,813/yr, $3,089 below the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $43,763 ten years after entry (above the $43,549 national median), and 6 of the 18 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How Montana's 18 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll College | $23,960 | $61,772 | 7.1 yrs |
| Highlands College of Montana Tech | $14,962 | $54,329 | 10 yrs |
| Montana Technological University | $16,481 | $54,329 | 11 yrs |
| Montana State University | $22,499 | $53,263 | 18.4 yrs |
| Montana State University-Northern | $12,664 | $49,505 | 44.2 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Peck Community College | $400 | $14,747 | no payback |
| Blackfeet Community College | $5,410 | $22,953 | no payback |
| Salish Kootenai College | $7,945 | $32,725 | no payback |
| Flathead Valley Community College | $8,099 | $38,520 | no payback |
| Little Big Horn College | $8,331 | $21,152 | no payback |
How many Montana colleges actually pay for themselves?
6 of 18 — 33% of the Montana institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do Montana graduates out-earn the national median?
Montana graduates report a median $43,763 ten years after entry, $214 above the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.