Best Geography Schools Near Billings, MT (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Billings, Montana has 1 accredited school offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $35,582 to $46,093 per year for indexed programs. Billings has a population of about 118,321. Median household income is $71,855 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Billings, MT metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers at a median $99,270 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Billings

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer geography programs near Billings, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Billings 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 Billings. 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

Rocky Mountain College

Billings, MT 0.5 miles from Billings
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
41.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 70%
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,036
Avg net price $19,751/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,582
Out‑of‑state$35,582
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Billings

Billings is part of the Billings, MT metro area (BLS area code 13740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Montana statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A MT statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $72,220 MT statewide $77,241
Surveyors $84,670 Billings, MT $90,556
Urban and Regional Planners $80,770 MT statewide $86,385
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $99,270 Billings, MT $106,171
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary N/A MT statewide –
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $89,010 Billings, MT $95,198
Computer Occupations, All Other $91,920 Billings, MT $98,310

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.

Billings at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 118,321 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $71,855 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 37.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Billings, MT?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering geography programs near Billings. The closest is Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT (0.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Rocky Mountain College (0.5 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Billings?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Billings are: Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($99,270), Computer Occupations, All Other ($91,920), Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health ($89,010). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Montana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Is Billings an affordable place to study geography?

Billings’s median household income of $71,855 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Billings 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 Geography Programs

Other Programs Available in Billings

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

Data verified: September 5, 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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