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Studying online from Montana generally means enrolling at an institution that holds accreditation from a recognized institutional accreditor, whether based in-state or elsewhere, and completing coursework remotely. For residents, one of the biggest cost variables is whether a program bills in-state or out-of-state tuition; many Montana public universities extend in-state or reduced online rates to state residents even for programs delivered entirely online, so it is worth confirming residency-based pricing directly with the admissions office before comparing offers.
Our directory currently lists 14 Montana institutions that report offering at least one fully online program (IPEDS/College Scorecard data in our directory). Of those, 12 report an in-state tuition figure, and the median among that group is $7,131 a year (IPEDS/College Scorecard data in our directory), notably lower than the medians in several neighboring states, largely reflecting the presence of lower-cost public options in the state’s directory. This figure is a directional benchmark; always verify current pricing with each school.
The schools below offer at least one fully online program and are drawn from our directory of accredited institutions. They are ordered by our independent BOC Score, which weighs factors like affordability, graduation outcomes, and online program availability rather than reputation alone.
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard
Accreditation status is the first thing to confirm for any online program, in Montana or elsewhere. The U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP) lets you search a school by name and see its current, recognized accreditor. A school being accredited typically refers to recognition from an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; examples include the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), SACSCOC, ACCSC, and DEAC. Transferability of credits and eligibility for certain licensure-track programs can still differ by school and program. If you plan to pursue a licensed profession, such as nursing, teaching, or counseling, also check that the specific program carries any required programmatic accreditation, since institutional accreditation alone does not guarantee that.
Most online programs at the schools below use a learning management system for lectures, assignments, and discussion boards, with coursework completed asynchronously on a weekly schedule rather than at fixed class times, though some programs do include live sessions. Admissions requirements, credit transfer policies, and program length vary by school and by degree level, so it is worth requesting information from a few schools before narrowing your choice. With a relatively smaller pool of 14 institutions in our Montana directory, it is practical to compare most of the listed schools directly rather than filtering a much longer list.
The schools listed above are ranked using our published BOC Score methodology, which combines affordability indicators, graduation outcomes, and confirmed online program availability into a single comparative score. The methodology page explains each factor and how it is weighted, so you can see exactly why a school appears where it does in the list.
Our directory lists 14 Montana institutions that report offering at least one fully online program (IPEDS/College Scorecard data in our directory).
Among the Montana schools in our directory that offer online programs, 12 report an in-state tuition figure, and the median is $7,131 a year (IPEDS/College Scorecard data in our directory).
Search the school by name in the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP) to confirm current, recognized accreditation before enrolling.
Schools are ordered by our BOC Score, an independent methodology that weighs affordability, graduation outcomes, and online program availability. See the full methodology for details.
