Best Online Elementary Education Programs in Montrose, CO (2026)

Montrose, Colorado has 2 accredited schools offering elementary education programs. Montrose has a population of about 20,703. Median household income is $63,177 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Colorado, the top-earning elementary education-related role is Secondary School Teacher at a median $72,900 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Elementary Education Schools to Montrose

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer elementary education programs near Montrose, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Montrose 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 Montrose. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Western Colorado University

Gunnison, CO 51.1 miles from Montrose BOC Score 45.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,833
Avg net price $16,425/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Fort Lewis College

Durango, CO 82.5 miles from Montrose BOC Score 40.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,349
Avg net price $17,296/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Adams State University

Alamosa, CO 127.7 miles from Montrose BOC Score 37.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,372
Avg net price $12,980/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Colorado College

Colorado Springs, CO 165.8 miles from Montrose BOC Score 63.6
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 18%
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,222
Avg net price $33,375/yr
Tuition
In‑state$70,734
Out‑of‑state$70,734
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, CO 167.6 miles from Montrose BOC Score 48.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,659
Avg net price $15,788/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,149
Out‑of‑state$24,336
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Colorado Christian University

Lakewood, CO 171.3 miles from Montrose BOC Score 36.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,416
Avg net price $29,500/yr
Tuition
In‑state$41,342
Out‑of‑state$41,342
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, CO 174.8 miles from Montrose BOC Score 73.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,738
Avg net price $25,346/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,666
Out‑of‑state$44,918
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Naropa University

Boulder, CO 175.0 miles from Montrose BOC Score 26.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $28,720
Avg net price $29,179/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Colorado schools on the Colorado elementary education page.


Elementary Education Wages Near Montrose

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Colorado, statewide)
Elementary School Teacher$63,410
Middle School Teacher$63,760
Secondary School Teacher$72,900
Teaching Assistant$35,760

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.


Montrose at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population20,703Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,177Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+33.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Montrose-Area Cities With Elementary Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited elementary education schools are near Montrose, CO?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering elementary education programs near Montrose. The closest is Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO (51.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Fort Lewis College (82.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying elementary education roles in Colorado?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying elementary education-related roles in Colorado are: Secondary School Teacher ($72,900), Middle School Teacher ($63,760), Elementary School Teacher ($63,410). Wages for Montrose workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Grand Junction instead of Montrose?

Grand Junction, CO is 57.3 miles from Montrose and has its own set of local elementary education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Montrose an affordable place to study elementary education?

Montrose’s median household income of $63,177 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Montrose while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Colorado 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 Elementary Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Montrose

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

Data verified: July 30, 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.