Best Behavioral Health Science Schools Near Helena, MT (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Helena, Montana is home to about 33,126 residents. Median household income is $69,341 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 50.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Helena, MT metro area, the top-earning behavioral health science-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $84,040 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Behavioral Health Science Schools to Helena

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer behavioral health science programs near Helena, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Helena city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

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:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Helena. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

The University of Montana-Western

Dillon, MT 100.4 miles from Helena
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
50.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 100%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,229
Avg net price $16,558/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,670
Out‑of‑state$20,130
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Montana schools on the Montana behavioral health science page.

Behavioral Health Science Wages Near Helena

Helena is part of the Helena, MT metro area (BLS area code 25740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Montana statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$63,060Helena, MT$65,893
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$59,850Helena, MT$62,539
Social and Community Service Manager$84,040Helena, MT$87,816
Social and Human Service Assistant$37,160Helena, MT$38,830

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Helena at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population33,126Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$69,341Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+50.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Helena-Area Cities With Behavioral Health Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying behavioral health science roles near Helena?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying behavioral health science-related roles near Helena are: Social and Community Service Manager ($84,040), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($63,060), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($59,850). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Montana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Butte instead of Helena?

Butte, MT is 56.8 miles from Helena and has its own set of local behavioral health science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Helena an affordable place to study behavioral health science?

Helena’s median household income of $69,341 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Helena while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Montana public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Behavioral Health Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Helena

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Helena:

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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