State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in Montana

Name: Montana College Net Price Rankings
Creator: PlainCampus

Montana's median net price sits 18% below the national Scorecard median; Fort Peck Community College leads the 26-school list at $400.

Compiled by PlainCampus , Independent campus-safety data publisher

$400
Cheapest net price: $14,010
Montana median: 26
Schools ranked

Fort Peck Community College has the lowest average net price in Montana among Scorecard reporters

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Fort Peck Community College posts the lowest average net price in Montana at $400 among 26 ranked schools, with the state median 18% below the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

Cheapest net price: $400
Montana median: $14,010
Schools ranked: 26
National median: $17,124

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

Fort Peck Community College has the lowest average net price in Montana at $400/year, and the state's median net price is 18% below the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.

$400
cheapest ranked net price: $14,010
Montana median net price: 18 public / 8 private
schools in this ranking: $10,928
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $10,928 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Carroll College, where in-state published tuition of $41,484 falls to an average net price of $23,960 after aid, a $17,524 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked Montana schools.

Across 26 ranked Montana schools, 18 are public and 8 are private. Sector sits beside every row because a low price at a specialty campus is not the same signal as a low price at a large public college.

The bar to make this top-25 list is $22,499. Here is where that cutoff sits among all 26 Scorecard-reporting Montana schools:

The bar to make Montana's top-25 cheapest list

Average net price after aid · 26 Scorecard-reporting schools

$22,499 more affordable than 4% of 26 Montana colleges

Show national distribution

Each bar is a $3K-wide band; taller bars hold more Montana colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23

Montana's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

Fort Peck Community CollegePoplar, MT · Public

Avg net price: $400
Net price (<$30K income): Aid covers full cost
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $26,328
Enrollment: 362

Stone Child CollegeBox Elder, MT · Public

Avg net price: $4,424
Net price (<$30K income): $3,440
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $11,860
Enrollment: 292

Blackfeet Community CollegeBrowning, MT · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $5,410
Net price (<$30K income): $6,643
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $22,428
Enrollment: 318

Crevier's Academy of Cosmetology ArtsKalispell, MT · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $6,744
Net price (<$30K income): $6,660
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $16,846
Enrollment: 79

Aaniiih Nakoda CollegeHarlem, MT · Public

Avg net price: $7,887
Net price (<$30K income): $8,183
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $19,990
Enrollment: 120

Salish Kootenai CollegePablo, MT · Public

Avg net price: $7,945
Net price (<$30K income): $6,999
Median debt: $12,923
Median earnings, 6yr: $28,894
Enrollment: 671

Flathead Valley Community CollegeKalispell, MT · Public

Avg net price: $8,099
Net price (<$30K income): $6,341
Median debt: $10,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $32,850
Enrollment: 2,234

Little Big Horn CollegeCrow Agency, MT · Public

Avg net price: $8,331
Net price (<$30K income): $8,419
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $25,016
Enrollment: 262

Dawson Community CollegeGlendive, MT · Public

Avg net price: $9,931
Net price (<$30K income): $8,162
Median debt: $9,450
Median earnings, 6yr: $37,252
Enrollment: 332

Miles Community CollegeMiles City, MT · Public

Avg net price: $10,405
Net price (<$30K income): $9,462
Median debt: $11,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $35,912
Enrollment: 710

Helena College University of MontanaHelena, MT · Public

Avg net price: $11,593
Net price (<$30K income): $9,709
Median debt: $14,580
Median earnings, 6yr: $37,317
Enrollment: 1,554

Great Falls College Montana State UniversityGreat Falls, MT · Public

Avg net price: $12,468
Net price (<$30K income): $10,675
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $35,625
Enrollment: 1,502

Montana State University-NorthernHavre, MT · Public

Avg net price: $12,664
Net price (<$30K income): $9,940
Median debt: $18,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $45,045
Enrollment: 966

Chief Dull Knife CollegeLame Deer, MT · Public

Avg net price: $14,010
Net price (<$30K income): $13,940
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $18,636
Enrollment: 185

Highlands College of Montana TechButte, MT · Public

Avg net price: $14,962
Net price (<$30K income): $11,650
Median debt: $18,750
Median earnings, 6yr: $48,356
Enrollment: 727

Aveda Institute MontanaBillings, MT · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $15,196
Net price (<$30K income): $14,143
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: -
Enrollment: 80

Montana Academy of SalonsGreat Falls, MT · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $15,935
Net price (<$30K income): $15,351
Median debt: $9,833
Median earnings, 6yr: $21,826
Enrollment: 126

Montana Technological UniversityButte, MT · Public

Avg net price: $16,481
Net price (<$30K income): $11,914
Median debt: $18,750
Median earnings, 6yr: $48,356
Enrollment: 1,702

Montana State University BillingsBillings, MT · Public

Avg net price: $16,524
Net price (<$30K income): $13,927
Median debt: $18,209
Median earnings, 6yr: $39,531
Enrollment: 4,129

The University of Montana-WesternDillon, MT · Public

Avg net price: $16,558
Net price (<$30K income): $14,822
Median debt: $21,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $37,252
Enrollment: 1,358

Academy of Cosmetology IncBozeman, MT · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $16,663
Net price (<$30K income): $15,408
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $30,092
Enrollment: 39

The University of MontanaMissoula, MT · Public

Avg net price: $16,784
Net price (<$30K income): $13,960
Median debt: $22,400
Median earnings, 6yr: $35,729
Enrollment: 10,811

University of ProvidenceGreat Falls, MT · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $17,649
Net price (<$30K income): $14,257
Median debt: $18,750
Median earnings, 6yr: $37,734
Enrollment: 763

Rocky Mountain CollegeBillings, MT · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $19,751
Net price (<$30K income): $15,404
Median debt: $26,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $41,783
Enrollment: 1,032

Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT · Public

Avg net price: $22,499
Net price (<$30K income): $17,797
Median debt: $22,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $44,757
Enrollment: 17,135

#	College	Avg net price	Net price (<$30K income)	Median debt	Median earnings, 6yr	Enrollment
1	Fort Peck Community CollegePoplar, MT · Public	$400	Aid covers full cost	-	$26,328	362
2	Stone Child CollegeBox Elder, MT · Public	$4,424	$3,440	-	$11,860	292
3	Blackfeet Community CollegeBrowning, MT · Private nonprofit	$5,410	$6,643	-	$22,428	318
4	Crevier's Academy of Cosmetology ArtsKalispell, MT · Private for-profit	$6,744	$6,660	-	$16,846	79
5	Aaniiih Nakoda CollegeHarlem, MT · Public	$7,887	$8,183	-	$19,990	120
6	Salish Kootenai CollegePablo, MT · Public	$7,945	$6,999	$12,923	$28,894	671
7	Flathead Valley Community CollegeKalispell, MT · Public	$8,099	$6,341	$10,500	$32,850	2,234
8	Little Big Horn CollegeCrow Agency, MT · Public	$8,331	$8,419	-	$25,016	262
9	Dawson Community CollegeGlendive, MT · Public	$9,931	$8,162	$9,450	$37,252	332
10	Miles Community CollegeMiles City, MT · Public	$10,405	$9,462	$11,500	$35,912	710
11	Helena College University of MontanaHelena, MT · Public	$11,593	$9,709	$14,580	$37,317	1,554
12	Great Falls College Montana State UniversityGreat Falls, MT · Public	$12,468	$10,675	-	$35,625	1,502
13	Montana State University-NorthernHavre, MT · Public	$12,664	$9,940	$18,500	$45,045	966
14	Chief Dull Knife CollegeLame Deer, MT · Public	$14,010	$13,940	-	$18,636	185
15	Highlands College of Montana TechButte, MT · Public	$14,962	$11,650	$18,750	$48,356	727
16	Aveda Institute MontanaBillings, MT · Private for-profit	$15,196	$14,143	-	-	80
17	Montana Academy of SalonsGreat Falls, MT · Private for-profit	$15,935	$15,351	$9,833	$21,826	126
18	Montana Technological UniversityButte, MT · Public	$16,481	$11,914	$18,750	$48,356	1,702
19	Montana State University BillingsBillings, MT · Public	$16,524	$13,927	$18,209	$39,531	4,129
20	The University of Montana-WesternDillon, MT · Public	$16,558	$14,822	$21,000	$37,252	1,358
21	Academy of Cosmetology IncBozeman, MT · Private for-profit	$16,663	$15,408	-	$30,092	39
22	The University of MontanaMissoula, MT · Public	$16,784	$13,960	$22,400	$35,729	10,811
23	University of ProvidenceGreat Falls, MT · Private nonprofit	$17,649	$14,257	$18,750	$37,734	763
24	Rocky Mountain CollegeBillings, MT · Private nonprofit	$19,751	$15,404	$26,000	$41,783	1,032
25	Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT · Public	$22,499	$17,797	$22,500	$44,757	17,135

Showing the 25 cheapest of 26 Scorecard-reporting Montana schools. The remaining 1 are ranked in the same net-price order but omitted from this HTML table so the page stays crawlable.

Look up any institution's exact rank via My School Profile, or open its school page for income-bracket net price, debt, and earnings.

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What this means for you

Use Montana's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

Fort Peck Community College reports the lowest average net price in Montana, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Fort Peck Community
See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. Montana safety

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 25 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for Montana. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.

Montana's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

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