Best College ROI in Mt 2026
14 colleges in Mt analyzed for return on investment. Montana Technological University leads with a ROI Score of 96/100 (STRONG BUY).
Mt has 14 colleges tracked in the Department of Education's College Scorecard, split between 9 public institutions and 5 private ones. Across the 14 schools with enough data to score, graduates of the top-paying major at each school carry a median federal debt of $24K and earn $77K in their first year out — the gap that determines whether a degree pays back.
86% of Mt colleges earn an A or B on the ROI Score, with the rest landing at C or below. First-year earnings top out at Montana Technological University (median $95K on Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management). The lowest median debt comes from Salish Kootenai College at $19K.
All numbers come from the latest College Scorecard release, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients only — graduates who paid cash or used private loans aren't in this dataset, so actual median debt at high-income schools may be lower than shown. The ROI Score weights debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), BLS job outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%).
Top 3 Best ROI Colleges in Mt
Montana Technological University
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Tops Mt's ROI rankings on its Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management program. Graduates earn a median $95K in their first year against $21K in median debt.
Rocky Mountain College
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Second-best ROI in the state, driven by Computer Science. Five-year median earnings: $147K.
Salish Kootenai College
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Third on the ROI Score with Computer and Information Sciences. Graduation rate 9900%, debt $19K.
Top 14 Colleges by ROI in Mt
| # | School | Best Major | Median Debt | 1yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana Technological University(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 2 | Rocky Mountain College(private) | Computer Science | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 3 | Salish Kootenai College(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $19K | $95K | A (96) |
| 4 | Carroll College(private) | Computer Science | $22K | $95K | A (95) |
| 5 | Montana State University(public) | Computer Science | $21K | $95K | A (95) |
| 6 | The University of Montana(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $25K | $95K | A (94) |
| 7 | The University of Montana-Western(public) | Mathematics | $28K | $78K | A (92) |
| 8 | University of Providence(private) | Computer Science | $29K | $95K | A (92) |
| 9 | Montana State University-Northern(public) | Engineering Technologies | $23K | $65K | A (85) |
| 10 | Montana State University Billings(public) | Business/Commerce | $25K | $65K | B (78) |
| 11 | Blackfeet Community College(private) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $26K | $62K | B (78) |
| 12 | Aaniiih Nakoda College(public) | Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $24K | $55K | B (70) |
| 13 | Stone Child College(public) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $24K | $45K | C (63) |
| 14 | Montana Bible College(private) | Bible/Biblical Studies | $24K | $40K | C (60) |
College debt and earnings data for Mt is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Montana Technological University has the best ROI in Mt with a score of 96/100 (STRONG BUY). The top major is Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management, with $95K in first-year median earnings against $21K in median debt.
Across 14 Mt colleges with ROI data, graduates carry a median debt of about $24K on the best-paying major at each school. First-year median earnings on those same programs average $77K.
Montana Technological University graduates earn the most one year out, with median first-year pay of $95K on its top major (Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management). After five years, those graduates earn a median of $147K.
Mt has 14 colleges in our database (9 public, 5 private). Of the 14 with reportable ROI, 86% earn an A or B grade.
The ROI Score (0-100) weighs debt-to-income ratio (35%), earnings premium over a high school graduate (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%). Scores are graded A-F with verdicts from "Strong Buy" to "Avoid." Data comes from the College Scorecard and BLS occupational projections.
ROI Score: debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), debt vs. national average (10%).