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2023 Best Value Nursing Schools in Montana

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices

10 Schools Ranked
$21,409 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$22,660 Avg Student Debt*

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which nursing program is right for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Best Value Nursing Schools in Montana ranking. Our analysis looked at 10 schools in Montana to see which programs offered the best value experiences for nursing students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

Top Value Nursing Schools in Montana

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

39 Total Awards
$9,570 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named Helena College University of Montana the best value school in Montana for nursing students working on their degree. Helena College is a public institution located in Helena, Montana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 39 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Helena College are $9,570 per year. On average, students take out $21,735 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, Helena College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $37,167 during the early year of their career.

Full Helena College University of Montana Report

#2

Miles Community College

Miles City, Montana
24 Total Awards
$9,840 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Miles Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools in Montana list. Located in Miles City, Montana, the very small public school handed out 24 degrees in 2020-2021.

Miles Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $9,840 in tuition and fees each year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $22,682 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, Miles Community College graduates make an average of $57,867 annually.

Miles Community College not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #4 on our Best Nursing Schools in Montana list.

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69 Total Awards
$19,352 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 10 schools in Montana that were part of this year’s ranking, Montana State University - Billings landed the # 3 spot on the list. Montana State University - Billings is a small public school located in Billings, Montana that handed out 69 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Montana State University - Billings are $19,352 a 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

37 Total Awards
$18,665 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Montana State University - Northern is a great place for nursing students who want to get the most value for their educational dollar. Montana State University - Northern is a public institution located in Havre, Montana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 37 degrees in 2020-2021.

Montana State University - Northern undergraduate students pay an average of $18,665 in tuition and fees each year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $23,100 in student debt by the time they complete 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.

Full Montana State University - Northern Report

#5

Montana State University

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

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Montana State University is a great place for nursing students who want to get the most value for their educational dollar. MSU Bozeman is a fairly large public school situated in Bozeman, Montana. It awarded 281 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MSU Bozeman are $28,264 per year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $24,435 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. 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.

MSU Bozeman did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our Best Nursing Schools in Montana list.

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38 Total Awards
$22,509 Average Tuition & Fees

Montana Technological University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in Butte, Montana, the small public school handed out 38 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Montana Tech are $22,509 a year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $22,903 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.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 did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our Best Nursing Schools in Montana list.

Read full report on Montana Technological University

#7

The University of Montana

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

The University of Montana ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in Montana list. Missoula, Montana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 33 students in 2020-2021.

UM undergraduate students pay an average of $28,476 in tuition and fees each year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $25,131 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $275 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, UM graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $38,416 during the early year of their career.

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#8

Flathead Valley Community College

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

Flathead Valley Community College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Flathead Valley Community College is a public institution located in Kalispell, Montana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 33 degrees 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. During the early years of their career, Flathead Valley Community College graduates make an average of $36,219 annually.

Full Flathead Valley Community College Report

#9

University of Providence

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

University of Providence landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. University of Providence is a very small private not-for-profit school located in Great Falls, Montana that handed out 117 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. On average, students take out $21,640 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, University of Providence graduates make an average of $49,532 annually.

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

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#10

Carroll College

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

Carroll College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in Montana list. Carroll College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Helena, Montana that handed out 43 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.After graduating from Carroll Montana, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $33,212 during the early years of their career.

Carroll Montana did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Nursing Schools in Montana list.

Read full report on Carroll College

Best Value Nursing Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 10 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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