Best Trade Programs in Montana (2026)
Top 33 of 33 programs in Montana · Updated 2026
The best trade school programs in Montana, ranked by overall value. We scored 33 programs across Montana trade schools on earnings, AI resilience, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $44,612/yr in graduate earnings.
Programs in MT
33
Avg Earnings (Top 100)
$44,612/yr
Avg TSW Score
61/100
#1 Program
Nursing
Montana State University Billings
Top Trade Programs in Montana
Top 33 programs by TSW Score. Click any row for full analysis.
| # | Program | TSW Score | Earnings | AI-Proof | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Nursing
Montana State University Billings · Billings, MT |
80
75–80 |
$72,551/yr | Moderate | 50.4x |
| 2 |
Nursing
Flathead Valley Community College · Kalispell, MT |
84
79–84 |
$71,348/yr | Moderate | 74.1x |
| 3 |
Nursing
Miles Community College · Miles City, MT |
80
75–81 |
$67,708/yr | Moderate | 61.4x |
| 4 |
Practical Nursing
Montana State University Billings · Billings, MT |
77
76–77 |
$48,257/yr | AI-Proof | 71.0x |
| 5 |
Nursing
Helena College University of Montana · Helena, MT |
84
78–85 |
$63,902/yr | Moderate | 90.5x |
| 6 |
Nursing
The University of Montana · Missoula, MT |
77
72–77 |
$67,743/yr | Moderate | 45.8x |
| 7 |
Nursing
Salish Kootenai College · Pablo, MT |
80
73–80 |
$52,607/yr | Moderate | 72.3x |
| 8 |
Vehicle Repair Technology
Helena College University of Montana · Helena, MT |
71
68–72 |
$46,288/yr | AI-Proof | 72.5x |
| 9 |
Vehicle Repair Technology
Montana State University Billings · Billings, MT |
64
63–65 |
$47,702/yr | AI-Proof | 38.9x |
| 10 |
Precision Metalworking
Flathead Valley Community College · Kalispell, MT |
61
60–61 |
$43,711/yr | AI-Proof | 45.0x |
| 11 |
Electrical Repair Technology
Highlands College of Montana Tech · Butte, MT |
76
73–77 |
$63,098/yr | AI-Proof | 221.7x |
| 12 |
Electrical Repair Technology
Montana Technological University · Butte, MT |
73
68–74 |
$63,098/yr | AI-Proof | 109.1x |
| 13 |
Health Administration
Montana State University Billings · Billings, MT |
69
64–71 |
$34,171/yr | Moderate | 50.0x |
| 14 |
Allied Health Professions
Highlands College of Montana Tech · Butte, MT |
69
66–69 |
$54,579/yr | Resilient | 67.6x |
| 15 |
Precision Metalworking
Montana State University Billings · Billings, MT |
55
55–56 |
$41,875/yr | AI-Proof | 30.2x |
| 16 |
Allied Health Professions
Montana State University Billings · Billings, MT |
63
61–63 |
$55,736/yr | Resilient | 40.6x |
| 17 |
Electromechanical Technology
Montana State University Billings · Billings, MT |
62
59–63 |
$68,144/yr | Resilient | 49.8x |
| 18 |
Medical Assisting
Flathead Valley Community College · Kalispell, MT |
63
61–64 |
$38,335/yr | Resilient | 38.2x |
| 19 |
Allied Health Professions
Montana Technological University · Butte, MT |
60
58–61 |
$54,579/yr | Resilient | 32.9x |
| 20 |
Allied Health Professions
The University of Montana · Missoula, MT |
59
57–60 |
$52,370/yr | Resilient | 31.4x |
| 21 |
Electrical Engineering Technology
Montana State University-Northern · Havre, MT |
56
48–58 |
$42,923/yr | Moderate | 56.6x |
| 22 |
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Helena College University of Montana · Helena, MT |
49
48–48 |
$31,290/yr | AI-Proof | 48.5x |
| 23 |
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Flathead Valley Community College · Kalispell, MT |
48
45–48 |
$30,079/yr | AI-Proof | 46.2x |
| 24 |
Veterinary Technology
Pima Medical Institute-Dillon · Dillon, MT |
51
46–51 |
$37,570/yr | Resilient | — |
| 25 |
Design and Applied Arts
Montana State University · Bozeman, MT |
49
46–51 |
$36,931/yr | Moderate | 21.8x |
| 26 |
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Dawson Community College · Glendive, MT |
44
40–44 |
$25,631/yr | AI-Proof | 45.7x |
| 27 |
Cosmetology
Academy of Cosmetology Inc · Bozeman, MT |
44
41–45 |
$21,876/yr | Resilient | — |
| 28 |
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Montana State University · Bozeman, MT |
42
43–42 |
$33,040/yr | AI-Proof | 19.4x |
| 29 |
Cosmetology
Crevier's Academy of Cosmetology Arts · Kalispell, MT |
43
40–44 |
$19,079/yr | Resilient | — |
| 30 |
Cosmetology
Montana Academy of Salons · Great Falls, MT |
44
40–44 |
$20,211/yr | Resilient | — |
| 31 |
Liberal Arts & Humanities
The University of Montana · Missoula, MT |
40
41–40 |
$30,794/yr | AI-Proof | 17.9x |
| 32 |
Cosmetology
Butte Academy of Beauty Culture · Butte, MT |
41
37–41 |
$9,586/yr | Resilient | — |
| 33 |
Veterinary Technology
Pima Medical Institute-Dillon · Dillon, MT |
42
37–42 |
$25,369/yr | Resilient | — |
Methodology
This ranking includes the top 33 trade programs at Montana schools, drawn from 33 total programs with earnings data. Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100), which combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and tuition ROI.
Only in-state tuition is used for ROI calculations. Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best trade program in Montana?
By TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Nursing at Montana State University Billings ranks #1 in Montana with a score of 80/100 and graduate earnings of $72,551/yr.
How many trade programs are in Montana?
Our database includes 33 trade programs across Montana schools with reported earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Last updated 2025.