2026 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Montana
[Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong liberal arts / sciences & humanities education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 20 schools to find the best return on investment for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.
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2026 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Montana
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the liberal arts / sciences & humanities degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools
Miles Community College earned the #1 spot for value among liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools in Montana. Set in the town of Miles City, Miles Community College is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,500, with out-of-state students paying around $11,220. Typical student debt for liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates is $11,949. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $67,708. That is a strong return on a $11,949 median debt.
Fort Peck Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools. Located in the rural area of Poplar, Fort Peck Community College is a small public university. Students from in state pay about $2,250 in tuition and fees. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $14,747.
Flathead Valley Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools. Set in the town of Kalispell, Flathead Valley Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,912 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,659 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates is $11,000. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $30,079. That is a strong return on a $11,000 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes Dawson Community College one of the best values for liberal arts / sciences & humanities. Dawson Community College is a small public school located in the town of Glendive. In-state tuition and fees average $5,010, while out-of-state students pay about $9,810. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program here. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates of Dawson Community College earn a median of $25,631 early in their careers. Set against $11,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Chief Dull Knife College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Lame Deer, Chief Dull Knife College is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,260. Median earnings reach $20,073 ten years out.
Great Falls College Montana State University came in at #6 for value in liberal arts / sciences & humanities this year. Set in the city of Great Falls, Great Falls College Montana State University is a small public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,028 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,911 for out-of-state students. Median earnings reach $38,034 ten years out.
Montana State University Northern ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools. Located in the town of Havre, Montana State University Northern is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,982, compared with $21,875 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates is $23,855. Soon after graduation, liberal arts / sciences & humanities degree recipients from Montana State University Northern generally make around $50,896. Set against $23,855 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Helena College University Of Montana landed the #8 spot for liberal arts / sciences & humanities value this year. Located in the city of Helena, Helena College University Of Montana is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,106, compared with $11,278 for out-of-state students. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates carry a median of $15,400 in student loans. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates of Helena College University Of Montana earn a median of $31,290 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Montana State University Billings ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools. Montana State University Billings is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Billings. In-state tuition and fees average $7,280, while out-of-state students pay about $22,897. Typical student debt for liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates is $39,800. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $29,832. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The University Of Montana Western landed the #10 spot for liberal arts / sciences & humanities value this year. The University Of Montana Western is a small public school located in the town of Dillon. Students from in state pay about $6,669 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,130. Typical student debt for liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates is $22,484. Soon after graduation, liberal arts / sciences & humanities degree recipients from The University Of Montana Western generally make around $36,924. Set against $22,484 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Montana Western admits about 100% of applicants.
The University Of Montana came in at #11 for value in liberal arts / sciences & humanities this year. Set in the city of Missoula, The University Of Montana is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,552, while out-of-state students pay about $33,671. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates carry a median of $18,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, liberal arts / sciences & humanities degree recipients from The University Of Montana generally make around $30,794. Set against $18,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Montana State University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools. Located in the city of Bozeman, Montana State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,460, with out-of-state students paying around $33,287. Students borrow a median of $19,268 to complete the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program here. Early-career liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates make about $31,710. Set against $19,268 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
