Helena, Montana has 3 accredited schools offering graphic design programs, with tuition ranging from $8,460 to $43,477 per year for indexed programs. Helena has a population of about 33,126. 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 Montana, the top-earning graphic design-related role is Web and Digital Interface Designer at a median $77,030 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Graphic Design Schools to Helena
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer graphic design 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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.
Acceptance rate
82%
Graduation rate
57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$53,263
Avg net price
$22,499/yr
TuitionIn‑state$8,460
Out‑of‑state$33,287
Key stats- Retention rate: 78%
- Programs offered: 57
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
96%
Graduation rate
47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$44,511
Avg net price
$16,784/yr
TuitionIn‑state$8,552
Out‑of‑state$33,671
Key stats- Retention rate: 75%
- Programs offered: 100
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$38,520
Avg net price
$8,099/yr
TuitionIn‑state$4,912
Out‑of‑state$11,659
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$49,505
Avg net price
$12,664/yr
TuitionIn‑state$6,982
Out‑of‑state$21,875
Key stats- Retention rate: 67%
- Programs offered: 21
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
16%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$14,747
Avg net price
$400/yr
TuitionIn‑state$2,250
Out‑of‑state$2,250
Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Montana schools on the Montana graphic design page.
Graphic Design 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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Graphic Designer | $63,690 | Helena, MT | $66,552 |
| Art Director | $73,850 | MT statewide | $77,168 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designer | $77,030 | MT statewide | $80,491 |
| Special Effects Artist and Animator | N/A | MT statewide | – |
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
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 33,126 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $69,341 | Census 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 Graphic Design Programs
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited graphic design schools are near Helena, MT?
Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering graphic design programs near Helena. The closest is University of Providence in Great Falls, MT (71.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of Montana (95.5 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying graphic design roles near Helena?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying graphic design-related roles near Helena are: Web and Digital Interface Designer ($77,030), Art Director ($73,850), Graphic Designer ($63,690). 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 graphic design 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 graphic design?
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 Graphic Design Programs
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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.
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