Best small colleges in Montana
Colleges with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best small colleges in Montana7 schools
7 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Montana.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Fewer than 2,000 undergraduate students (federal enrollment).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
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Montana State University-Northern
Havre, MT · PublicTop 24% for low net price
- 982 undergraduates
- 41% graduate
- 6
University of Providence
Great Falls, MT · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- 562 undergraduates
- 28% graduate
- 7
Rocky Mountain College
Billings, MT · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- 794 undergraduates
- 48% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll College | $23,960 | $25,757 | $61,772 | 69% |
| Salish Kootenai College | $7,945 | $12,923 | $32,725 | 28% |
| Montana Technological University | $16,481 | $18,750 | $54,329 | 58% |
| The University of Montana-Western | $16,558 | $21,000 | $43,229 | 51% |
| Montana State University-Northern | $12,664 | $18,500 | $49,505 | 41% |
| University of Providence | $17,649 | $18,750 | $48,296 | 28% |
| Rocky Mountain College | $19,751 | $26,000 | $49,036 | 48% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 10
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 13
- California 63
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 10
- Florida 27
- Georgia 24
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 25
- Indiana 20
- Iowa 23
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 18
- Louisiana 8
- Maine 11
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 31
- Michigan 23
- Minnesota 19
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 31
- Nebraska 12
- New Hampshire 7
- New Jersey 18
- New Mexico 7
- New York 55
- North Carolina 34
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 58
- Oklahoma 11
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 69
- Puerto Rico 31
- South Carolina 19
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 24
- Texas 31
- Utah 7
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 30
- Washington 12
- West Virginia 12
- Wisconsin 15