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2026 Best Value Social Work Schools in Montana

[Social Work](/majors/social-services-public-administration/social-work/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for social work students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Social Work Schools in Montana

2026 Best Value Social Work Schools in Montana

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social work, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Social Work Schools

1

The University Of Montana
Missoula, MT

$8,552 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,000 Avg Student Debt

$44,511 Median Earnings (10yr)

The University Of Montana earned the #1 spot for value among social work schools 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, compared with $33,671 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from The University Of Montana generally make around $39,199. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.

2

Carroll College
Helena, MT

$41,484 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,912 Avg Student Debt

$61,772 Median Earnings (10yr)

Carroll College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value social work schools. Carroll College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Helena. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,484. Social Work graduates carry a median of $24,912 in student loans. Social Work graduates of Carroll College earn a median of $40,797 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.

View All Social Work Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 6 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.