Tuition Trends for Montana colleges Over Past 10 Years

There are 28 colleges in Montana - 18 public and 10 private schools. The 2024 average tuition & fees of the 4-year colleges in Montana is $6,325 for Montana residents and $18,386 for out-of-state students. In private colleges, the average tuition & fees is $23,966. For Montana community colleges, the average tuition & fees is $4,364 for state residents and $8,079 for out-of-state students.

Montana public 4-year colleges' in-state tuition & fees increased by 31.16% from $5,456 (2015) to $7,156 (2024) and out-of-state tuition & fees grew by 10.35% over the past decade from $16,739 (2015) to $18,472 (2024). In private Montana colleges, the tuition & fees increased by 27.41%, from $18,810 (2015) to $23,966 (2024).

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Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes

Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased by 18.91% when living on campus and by 17.74% when living off campus at public Montana colleges. For private Montana colleges, the COA has increased by 28.94% (on-campus) and 27.71% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes of Montana colleges
Year	Living On Campus			Living Off Campus
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$16,847	$28,130	$30,201	$17,302	$28,585	$30,656
2015-16	$17,352 3.00%	$28,959 2.95%	$32,965 9.15%	$17,812 2.95%	$29,419 2.92%	$33,425 9.03%
2016-17	$17,557 1.18%	$29,678 2.48%	$32,249 -2.17%	$17,987 0.98%	$30,108 2.34%	$32,679 -2.23%
2017-18	$18,210 3.72%	$30,512 2.81%	$33,478 3.81%	$18,637 3.61%	$30,939 2.76%	$33,905 3.75%
2018-19	$19,732 8.36%	$32,316 5.91%	$38,909 16.22%	$20,392 9.42%	$32,976 6.58%	$39,569 16.71%
2019-20	$18,881 -4.31%	$31,745 -1.77%	$35,197 -9.54%	$19,643 -3.67%	$32,507 -1.42%	$35,959 -9.12%
2020-21	$18,673 -1.10%	$31,848 0.32%	$33,680 -4.31%	$19,783 0.71%	$32,958 1.39%	$34,790 -3.25%
2021-22	$19,032 1.92%	$32,516 2.10%	$35,848 6.44%	$20,651 4.39%	$34,135 3.57%	$37,467 7.69%
2022-23	$20,763 9.10%	$34,118 4.93%	$38,033 6.10%	$21,591 4.55%	$34,946 2.38%	$38,861 3.72%
2023-24	$22,132 6.59%	$33,448 -1.96%	$38,942 2.39%	$22,340 3.47%	$33,656 -3.69%	$39,150 0.74%

Tuition & Fees Changes

For the current year (2024), the average tuition & fees for Montana colleges is $7,156 for Montana residents and $18,472 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $23,966.

For graduate programs, the 2024 average graduate tuition & fees is $8,811 for Montana residents and $20,513 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $28,131.

The tuition & fees has increased 10.35% for undergraduate programs and 4.37% for graduate programs at Montana colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.

Tuition & Fees Changes for Montana colleges
Year	Undergraduate			Graduate
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$5,456	$16,739	$18,810	$6,168	$18,175	$22,217
2015-16	$5,491 0.64%	$17,098 2.14%	$21,104 12.20%	$6,214 0.75%	$18,610 2.39%	$23,208 4.46%
2016-17	$5,567 1.38%	$17,688 3.45%	$20,259 -4.00%	$6,263 0.79%	$19,120 2.74%	$24,120 3.93%
2017-18	$5,874 5.51%	$18,176 2.76%	$21,142 4.36%	$6,472 3.34%	$19,218 0.51%	$26,430 9.58%
2018-19	$6,025 2.57%	$18,609 2.38%	$25,202 19.20%	$6,668 3.03%	$20,130 4.75%	$22,521 -14.79%
2019-20	$6,053 0.46%	$18,917 1.66%	$22,369 -11.24%	$6,703 0.52%	$20,480 1.74%	$21,003 -6.74%
2020-21	$6,075 0.36%	$19,250 1.76%	$21,082 -5.75%	$6,805 1.52%	$20,923 2.16%	$27,393 30.42%
2021-22	$6,102 0.44%	$19,586 1.75%	$22,918 8.71%	$6,870 0.96%	$21,477 2.65%	$22,806 -16.75%
2022-23	$6,842 12.13%	$20,197 3.12%	$24,112 5.21%	$7,074 2.97%	$22,236 3.53%	$25,279 10.84%
2023-24	$7,156 4.59%	$18,472 -8.54%	$23,966 -0.61%	$7,212 1.95%	$18,970 -14.69%	$25,705 1.69%

Montana 4-Year Colleges Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

Montana Graduate Schools Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

Books & Supplies Costs Changes

For the current year (2024), the average book & supplies costs is $1,244 for Montana colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2015 to 2024.

Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Montana colleges
Year	Books & Supplies
2014-15	$1,045
2015-16	$1,071 2.49%
2016-17	$1,113 3.92%
2017-18	$1,127 1.26%
2018-19	$1,277 13.31%
2019-20	$1,183 -7.36%
2020-21	$1,114 -5.83%
2021-22	$1,191 6.91%
2022-23	$1,200 0.76%
2023-24	$1,244 3.67%

Living Costs Changes

For Montana colleges, the living have increased 25.48% when a student lives on campus facilities and 18.60% when living off campus from year 2015 to 2024. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.

Living Costs Changes for Montana colleges
Year	Living On Campus	Living Off Campus
2014-15	$10,346	$10,771
2015-16	$10,790 4.60%	$11,211 4.70%
2016-17	$10,877 0.99%	$11,314 0.38%
2017-18	$11,209 4.21%	$11,658 4.02%
2018-19	$12,430 8.62%	$12,939 10.82%
2019-20	$11,645 -3.70%	$12,150 -2.43%
2020-21	$11,484 0.22%	$12,095 3.03%
2021-22	$11,739 0.43%	$12,208 7.76%
2022-23	$12,721 8.02%	$13,349 -2.90%
2023-24	$13,732 10.63%	$14,512 2.07%

Most Searched Montana Colleges (last 30 days)

4-Year Colleges

Montana State University Public, four-years | Bozeman
The University of Montana Public, four-years | Missoula
Carroll College Private, four-years | Helena
University of Providence Private, four-years | Great Falls
Montana Technological University Public, four-years | Butte
Blackfeet Community College Private, four-years | Browning
The University of Montana-Western Public, four-years | Dillon
Montana State University Billings Public, four-years | Billings
Flathead Valley Community College Public, 2-4 years | Kalispell
Little Big Horn College Public, 2-4 years | Crow Agency

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Graduate

Montana State University Billings Public, four-years | Billings
Montana State University Public, four-years | Bozeman
Montana Technological University Public, four-years | Butte
The University of Montana-Western Public, four-years | Dillon
University of Providence Private, four-years | Great Falls
Miles Community College Public, 2-4 years | Miles City
Montana State University-Northern Public, four-years | Havre
Salish Kootenai College Public, four-years | Pablo
Montana Bible College Private, four-years | Billings
Bold Beauty Academy Private, 2-4 years | Billings

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Online Schools

Montana Bible College Private, four-years | Billings
Montana State University Public, four-years | Bozeman
Carroll College Private, four-years | Helena
Montana Technological University Public, four-years | Butte
The University of Montana-Western Public, four-years | Dillon
Miles Community College Public, 2-4 years | Miles City
Salish Kootenai College Public, four-years | Pablo
Pima Medical Institute-Dillon Private, 2-4 years | Dillon
Helena College University of Montana Public, 2-4 years | Helena
The University of Montana Public, four-years | Missoula

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Trade Schools

Pima Medical Institute-Dillon Private, 2-4 years | Dillon
Aaniiih Nakoda College Public, four-years | Harlem
Salish Kootenai College Public, four-years | Pablo
Academy of Cosmetology Inc Private, Less than 2-years | Bozeman
Butte Academy of Beauty Culture Private, Less than 2-years | Butte
Crevier's Academy of Cosmetology Arts Private, Less than 2-years | Kalispell
Dawson Community College Public, 2-4 years | Glendive
Montana Academy of Salons Private, Less than 2-years | Great Falls
Blackfeet Community College Private, four-years | Browning
Carroll College Private, four-years | Helena

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