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2023 Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country.
The Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 27 schools in Montana to see which ones were the most popular programs for trade school students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Great Falls College Montana State University the most popular school in Montana for trade school students working on their degree. Great Falls College Montana State University is a public institution located in Great Falls, Montana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 285 degrees in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 64% were women.
Read full report on Great Falls College Montana State University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Montana State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana list. MSU Bozeman is a fairly large public school situated in Bozeman, Montana. It awarded 3,536 degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, students take out $23,447 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $312.After graduating from MSU Bozeman, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $42,198 during the early years of their career. Around 53% of those degree recipients were women.
You’ll be in good company if you attend Montana State University - Billings. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana list. This small public school is located in Billings, Montana, and it awarded 795 degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,456 in student loans.After graduating from Montana State University - Billings, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $41,648 during the early years of their career. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
The programs at The University of Montana helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular trade school schools in Montana. UM is located in Missoula, Montana and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 3,194 degrees to qualified students.
On average, students take out $33,176 in loans while pursuing their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $318, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from UM, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $38,416 during the early years of their career. Of those students who received their degree, 61% were women.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Highlands College of Montana Tech is a great place for trade school students. Highlands College of Montana Tech is a very small public school situated in Butte, Montana. It awarded 139 degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,640 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, Highlands College of Montana Tech graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $61,217 during the early year of their career. Of those students who received their degree, 17% were women.
Montana State University - Northern did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students. It came in at #6 on the list. Montana State University - Northern is located in Havre, Montana and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 277 degrees to qualified students.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,524 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, Montana State University - Northern graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $43,349 during the early year of their career. Around 44% of those degree recipients were women.
Flathead Valley Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana list. Kalispell, Montana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 293 students in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,544 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, Flathead Valley Community College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $36,219 during the early year of their career. Of those students who received their degree, 54% were women.
Montana Academy of Salons ranked #8 on this year’s Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana list. Montana Academy of Salons is a very small private for-profit school located in Great Falls, Montana that handed out 103 degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, students take out $6,485 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, Montana Academy graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $19,446 during the early year of their career. Of those students who received their degree, 93% were women.
University of Providence ranked #8 on this year’s Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana list. University of Providence is a very small private not-for-profit school situated in Great Falls, Montana. It awarded 391 degrees in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from University of Providence accumulate an average of $24,621 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, University of Providence graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $49,532 during the early year of their career. Of those students who received their degree, 71% were women.
Helena College University of Montana landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular trade school programs. Helena College University of Montana is a small public school located in Helena, Montana that handed out 209 degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, students take out $17,556 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, Helena College graduates make an average of $37,167 annually. Around 49% of those degree recipients were women.
Crevier’s Academy of Cosmetology Arts landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular trade school programs. This very small private for-profit school is located in Kalispell, Montana, and it awarded 61 degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, Crevier’s Academy of Cosmetology Arts graduates make an average of $16,295 annually. Around 98% of those degree recipients were women.
Salish Kootenai College ranked #12 on this year’s Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana list. Pablo, Montana is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 136 students in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from SKC accumulate an average of $13,914 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from SKC, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $24,002 during the early years of their career. Of those students who received their degree, 70% were women.
Rocky Mountain College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students. It came in at #13 on the list. Billings, Montana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out degrees to 274 students in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from Rocky accumulate an average of $64,213 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Rocky, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $47,324 during the early years of their career. Of those students who received their degree, 62% were women.
Academy of Cosmetology did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students. It came in at #13 on the list. Located in Bozeman, Montana, the very small private for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualifed students in 2021-2022.
After graduating from Academy of Cosmetology, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $19,063 during the early years of their career. Around 100% of those degree recipients were women.
Carroll College landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular trade school programs. Located in Helena, Montana, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 255 degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, students take out $22,163 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, Carroll Montana graduates make an average of $33,212 annually. Of those students who received their degree, 64% were women.
Butte Academy of Beauty Culture did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students. It came in at #17 on the list. Butte Academy of Beauty Culture is a very small private for-profit school located in Butte, Montana that handed out 17 degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $7,753 in student loans. During the early years of their career, Butte Academy of Beauty graduates make an average of $12,598 annually. Of those students who received their degree, 82% were women.
Miles Community College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana ranking. Located in Miles City, Montana, the very small public school awarded 123 diplomas to qualifed students in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,203 in student loans.After graduating from Miles Community College, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $57,867 during the early years of their career. Around 67% of those degree recipients were women.
With a ranking of #19, Fort Peck Community College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working. Located in Poplar, Montana, the very small public school awarded 82 diplomas to qualifed students in 2021-2022.
Around 67% of those degree recipients were women.
Blackfeet Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana ranking. Blackfeet Community College is a very small private not-for-profit school located in Browning, Montana that handed out 64 degrees in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 77% were women.
Montana Technological University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Trade Schools in Montana ranking. Montana Tech is a public institution located in Butte, Montana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 381 degrees in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from Montana Tech accumulate an average of $19,460 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, Montana Tech graduates make an average of $63,042 annually. Of those students who received their degree, 39% were women.
Dawson Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students. It came in at #22 on the list. Glendive, Montana is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 111 students in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,586 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 50% were women.
With a ranking of #23, Stone Child College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working. SCC is a public institution located in Box Elder, Montana. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 24 degrees in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 75% were women.
With a ranking of #24, Aaniiih Nakoda College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working. Located in Harlem, Montana, the very small public school handed out 45 degrees in 2021-2022.
Around 60% of those degree recipients were women.
Little Big Horn College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular trade school programs. Little Big Horn College is located in Crow Agency, Montana and has a very small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 38 degrees to qualified students.
Around 79% of those degree recipients were women.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.