Great Falls College Montana State University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in Great Falls, MT (2026)
Great Falls, Montana has 2 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Great Falls has a population of about 60,412. Median household income is $63,934 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Montana, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $277,380 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Great Falls
The 2 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 2 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Great Falls. Distances are calculated from Great Falls city center.
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 Great Falls. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Helena College University of Montana
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Montana schools on the Montana nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Great Falls
Great Falls is part of the Great Falls, MT metro area (BLS area code 24500). 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $78,290 | Great Falls, MT | $80,878 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $60,020 | Great Falls, MT | $62,004 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $277,380 | MT statewide | $286,550 |
| Nurse Midwife | N/A | MT statewide | – |
| Nurse Practitioner | $130,330 | Great Falls, MT | $134,638 |
| Nursing Assistant | $39,330 | Great Falls, MT | $40,630 |
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.
Great Falls at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 60,412 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $63,934 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 28.3% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 96.8 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Great Falls-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Helena, MT – 71.2 mi away (49,812 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Great Falls, MT?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Great Falls. The closest is Great Falls College Montana State University in Great Falls, MT (1.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Helena College University of Montana (71.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Great Falls?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Great Falls are: Nurse Anesthetist ($277,380), Nurse Practitioner ($130,330), Registered Nurse ($78,290). 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 Helena instead of Great Falls?
Helena, MT is 71.2 miles from Great Falls and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Great Falls an affordable place to study nursing?
Great Falls’s median household income of $63,934 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Great Falls 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 Nursing Programs
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in Montana
- Nursing programs by state
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Data verified: June 11, 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.