Business Schools in Montana
The largest of the northwestern states and fourth-largest in the US overall—after only Alaska, Texas, and California—Montana is a sprawling land of mountains, hills, and plains that has earned the state its nickname as “Big Sky Country.” Its large area is home to a little over a million people, giving it the third-lowest population density in the country, behind only Alaska (again) and nearby Wyoming. The state’s name reflects the importance of its position at the northern edge of the American Rockies, and tourism is an essential part of the state’s economy due to its ski resorts, national parks, and other natural attractions. Ranching and farming continue to be important as well, and on the more modern side, Montana ranks third in the country in the number of microbreweries per capita.
As a state with a very low population, Montana is not mainly known as a center of higher education, and it has relatively few business school options: data from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) shows ten public and non-profit schools that grant undergraduate business degrees in the state, of which five are accredited. An accredited school is always a wise choice. This assures you that the program you select has clear objectives and produces quality outcomes while adhering to national and international standards. Accredited schools generally also offer a richer educational experience by providing interaction with real businesses.
All of the schools in this article have been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and/or International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). They are all public or non-profit and regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
In this article, you will find the critical data you need to help you choose the Montana business school that best suits your unique needs based on various key factors, including tuition, financial aid, entrance exam scores, acceptance rates, and more. The sections that follow describe undergraduate programs in Montana and job prospects for business school graduates.
Undergraduate Business Schools in Montana
As is typical of states with smaller populations, Montana’s business schools are very inexpensive for the most part. Four of the schools have tuition figures below $7,000, with the University of Montana Western even below $5,000. These colleges also offer financial aid amounts very close to their tuition numbers, making them very budget-friendly options. The fifth school, Carroll College, is considerably more expensive at $33,200, perhaps because it is currently ranked the #1 regional college in the west by US News & World Report.1
We have acceptance rates for three of our schools, all of which are high or very high: 71% at the aforementioned Carroll College, 89% at Montana Tech of the University of Montana, and 92% at the University of Montana. Graduation rates for undergraduate business degrees in Montana are generally moderate. Four of the schools fall into the range of 46% to 66%; the outlier is Montana State University-Billings, which graduates just 24% of students.
The table below shows you the vital data you need about Montana’s undergraduate business schools, including annual in-state tuition costs, average aid per student, acceptance rates, SAT and ACT score ranges of accepted students, and graduation rates. Click any column header to sort the table based on its contents.
| School | City | Tuition | Aid | Median SAT | Median ACT | Accept. Rate | Grad. Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll College | Helena | $33,192 | $18,626 | 990-1220 | 22-28 | 71% | 66% |
| Montana State University-Billings | Billings | $5,826 | $4,183 | 24% | |||
| Montana Tech of the University of Montana | Butte | $6,561 | $6,372 | 1030-1180 | 22-26 | 89% | 46% |
| University of Montana | Missoula | $6,238 | $4,956 | 950-1200 | 20-26 | 92% | 49% |
| University of Montana Western | Dillon | $4,893 | $5,366 | 53% |
Job Outlook for Business School Graduates in Montana
From 2016 to 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data predicts total growth of at least 5% in 32 of 37 business and management occupations across the US.6 The highest growth will be for market analysts and marketing specialists, at 22.8% over ten years, with financial managers coming in second at 18.7%.6
Montana’s economy has been powerful for several years, with an unemployment rate well below the national average for most of the last two decades. In recent years, the two rates have started to converge, and the state rate of 3.9% is now nearly the same as the national rate of 4%. About 24,180 people were employed in the business and management sector in Montana in 2016.7 The largest subgroup was general and operations managers, with 4,890 people, followed by accountants and auditors (3,340) and business operations specialists (3,320).7
BLS data indicates that Montana ranked 41st among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for overall average annual wage across all occupations in 2016 at $50,027, a fair bit below the national average of $57,617..7 Business and management occupations had a weighted average annual salary of around $76,520 that same year..7 Like neighboring Idaho, but unlike most other states, the highest salary in Montana was for architectural and engineering managers rather than CEOs, though the latter was a close second ($131,540 and $130,160 respectively)..7 Most management positions fell between $80,000 and $110,000.7 The lowest-paid of the groups was tax preparers at $37,770.7
| Occupation Title | BLS.gov Code | 2016 Total Employment Montana | Mean Hourly Wage Montana | Mean Annual Wage Montana | National Growth 2016-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | 13-2011 | 3,340 | $32 | $65,600 | 8.0% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 11-3011 | 250 | $42 | $87,900 | 9.1% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 11-9041 | 270 | $63 | $131,540 | 7.4% |
| Budget Analysts | 13-2031 | 250 | $29 | $60,640 | 10.4% |
| Business Operations Specialists | 13-1199 | 3,320 | $32 | $65,920 | 10.1% |
| Chief Executives | 11-1011 | 450 | $63 | $130,160 | 11.9% |
| Compensation, and Benefits Specialists | 13-1141 | 160 | $27 | $56,590 | 5.6% |
| Compliance Officers | 13-1041 | 960 | $29 | $59,910 | 5.0% |
| Construction Managers | 11-9021 | 580 | $45 | $94,330 | 8.9% |
| Cost Estimators | 13-1051 | 1,040 | $28 | $58,920 | 10.3% |
| Credit Analysts | 13-2041 | 170 | $31 | $64,000 | 11.4% |
| Credit Counselors | 13-2071 | 60 | $20 | $42,490 | 5.5% |
| Financial Analysts | 13-2051 | 160 | $47 | $98,230 | 4.9% |
| Financial Examiners | 13-2061 | 110 | $35 | $73,200 | 8.2% |
| Financial Managers | 11-3031 | 670 | $51 | $106,920 | 10.6% |
| General and Operations Managers | 11-1021 | 4,890 | $47 | $98,230 | 7.1% |
| Human Resources Managers | 11-3121 | 190 | $47 | $98,010 | -7.8% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 13-1071 | 1,480 | $26 | $54,310 | 6.9% |
| Information Systems Managers | 11-3021 | 560 | $57 | $118,930 | 12.0% |
| Insurance Underwriters | 13-2053 | 140 | $35 | $73,750 | 10.2% |
| Labor Relations Specialists | 13-1075 | 110 | $25 | $52,320 | 8.5% |
| Loan Officers | 13-2072 | 1,370 | $32 | $65,620 | 11.5% |
| Logisticians | 13-1081 | 100 | $32 | $65,530 | 22.8% |
| Management Analysts | 13-1111 | 610 | $35 | $72,310 | 8.8% |
| Market Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 13-1161 | 1,090 | $29 | $59,310 | 10.0% |
| Marketing Managers | 11-2021 | 150 | $54 | $112,350 | 6.5% |
| Meeting and Event Planners | 13-1121 | 340 | $18 | $37,490 | 8.4% |
| Public Relations and Fundraising Managers | 11-2031 | 100 | $37 | $76,180 | 10.8% |
| Purchasing Managers | 11-3061 | 50 | $48 | $100,180 | -5.2% |
| Sales Managers | 11-2022 | 210 | $58 | $121,200 | 9.8% |
| Tax Examiners and Revenue Agents | 13-2081 | 120 | $28 | $58,190 | 13.9% |
| Tax Preparers | 13-2082 | 170 | $18 | $37,770 | 11.5% |
| Training and Development Specialists | 13-1151 | 710 | $28 | $58,310 | 10.8% |
Other Popular State Pages
- Washington Business Schools
- Idaho Business Schools
- North Dakota Business Schools
- South Dakota Business Schools
- Wyoming Business Schools
References:
1. US News & World Report, Best Regional Colleges West Rankings: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-colleges-west
2. National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/
3. AACSB, Best Business Schools: https://bestbizschools.aacsb.edu/aacsb-accredited
4. ACBSP, Business Schools: https://acbsp.org/page/accreditation-overview
5. IACBE, Business Schools: https://iacbe.org/accreditation/
6. US Bureau of Labor Statistics – Occupational Outlook Handbook, Business and Financial Occupations: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/home.htm
7. US Bureau of Labor Statistics – Employment and Wage Estimates Montana: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_mt.htm
8. US News & World Report, Best Business Schools: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools