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2026 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in Montana

[Physical Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong physical sciences education at a price that pays off.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for physical sciences students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in Montana

2026 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in Montana

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physical sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Physical Sciences Schools

1

The University Of Montana
Missoula, MT

$8,552 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,342 Avg Student Debt

$44,511 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked The University Of Montana the best value for a degree in physical sciences in Montana. The University Of Montana is a large public school located in the city of Missoula. In-state tuition and fees average $8,552, with out-of-state students paying around $33,671. Typical student debt for physical sciences graduates is $24,342. Early-career physical sciences graduates make about $42,654. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.

2

Montana State University
Bozeman, MT

$8,460 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,250 Avg Student Debt

$53,263 Median Earnings (10yr)

Montana State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physical sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Bozeman, Montana State University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,460, while out-of-state students pay about $33,287. Students borrow a median of $22,250 to complete the physical sciences program here. Early-career physical sciences graduates make about $29,030. That is a strong return on a $22,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.

View All Physical Sciences Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.