Best Physics Schools Near Billings, MT (2026)

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

Billings, Montana has 1 accredited school offering physics 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 Montana, the top-earning physics-related role is Atmospheric and Space Scientists at a median $108,890 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Billings

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics 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

Montana State University

Bozeman, MT 120.8 miles from Billings
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
51.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 82%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,263
Avg net price $22,499/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,460
Out‑of‑state$33,287
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

The University of Montana

Missoula, MT 269.5 miles from Billings
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
43.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,511
Avg net price $16,784/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,552
Out‑of‑state$33,671
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Physics 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)
Physicists $103,800 MT statewide $111,016
Biochemists and Biophysicists N/A MT statewide –
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $98,050 MT statewide $104,866
Mathematicians N/A MT statewide –
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $108,890 MT statewide $116,460
Engineers, All Other $97,470 MT statewide $104,246
Software Developers $100,440 Billings, MT $107,422
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $63,550 Billings, MT $67,968

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 physics schools are near Billings, MT?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering physics programs near Billings. The closest is Northwest College in Powell, WY (71.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Northwest College (71.8 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles near Billings?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles near Billings are: Atmospheric and Space Scientists ($108,890), Physicists ($103,800), Software Developers ($100,440). 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 physics?

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 Physics 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.

Back to Best Physics Schools in Montana: Online Programs (2026)