Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Research Universities in Montana 2026

Q: Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Badge for BEST IN MONTANA RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Chloe Dembski

Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Interested in attending a STEM school in Montana? Our ranking of top research universities for bachelor’s degrees displays schools that will best prepare you for STEM careers.

Key Takeaways

Both the University of Montana and Montana State University have achieved the prestigious “R1” designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, indicating very high research activity. This status provides students with access to cutting-edge research projects and resources.
Located near vast wilderness areas, these universities incorporate their unique surroundings into academic programs. For instance, Montana State University offers classes that utilize nearby Yellowstone National Park as a living laboratory, enriching the learning experience.
Both institutions host specialized research centers that focus on areas such as energy, optics, and transportation. These centers provide students with opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary research and collaborate with experts in their fields.

Table of Contents

Best Research Universities in Montana in 2026

University of Montana
Montana State University

This guide identifies the best research universities in Montana for 2026 and summarizes how they compare on research focus, doctoral offerings, and student research opportunities. We include only fully accredited institutions that grant doctoral degrees across STEM fields and maintain significant research activity; two Montana universities meet those criteria and appear in our state ranking here. Below you’ll find concise profiles highlighting each campus’s research strengths, typical graduate and undergraduate research pathways, and what to consider when choosing between them for STEM study or research careers.

Best Research Universities in Montana

Last Year’s Ranking:
1. University of Montana
2. Montana State University
#1
University of Montana
Missoula , MT
#1 Best Colleges in Montana 2026 #1 Best Public Colleges in Montana 2024 #1 Best Graduate Schools in Montana 2025 #1 Most Affordable Colleges in Montana 2025
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
95%
Graduation
46%
Student body
12K
Career Outlook for degree at University of Montana
Cost of Degree: $8,152
Expenses: $17,076
Starting Salary: $43,300
Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is University of Montana known for?

University of Montana’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Earth Sciences
Chemistry
Philosophy
Biology
Literature
History
Education
Communications
Law
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Harold Urey
Bruce L. Benson
Jack Horner
Lindsey Doe
Mike Mansfield
Jeannette Rankin
William Finnegan
Jeff Ament
Brian Wesbury
Jim Messina
Earl Douglass
James R. Browning
University of Montana’s Online Degrees
BA in Art

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Media Arts

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Anthropology

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Communicative Sciences And Disorders

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school
#2
Montana State University
Bozeman , MT
#2 Best Colleges in Montana 2026 #2 Best Public Colleges in Montana 2024 #2 Best Graduate Schools in Montana 2025 #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Montana 2025
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
57%
Student body
19K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/23
Career Outlook for degree at Montana State University
Cost of Degree: $8,083
Expenses: $18,588
Starting Salary: $48,900
Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is Montana State University known for?

Montana State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Biology
Earth Sciences
Social Work
Anthropology
Physics
Chemistry
Philosophy
Engineering
History
Economics

Most Influential Alumni

Maurice Hilleman
Mary Higby Schweitzer
Sarah Vowell
Irving Weissman
Chet Huntley
Peter Voulkos
Lester Hogan
Mike Mansfield
John Barnes
Jill Mikucki
James R. Browning
Dennis Erickson
Montana State University’s Online Degrees
BA in Liberal Studies

Degree Concentrations
Quaternity

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school

Build your own college rankings

Find the Best Research Universities in Montana for Your Area of Interest

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines.

Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students.

Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).

Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers.

Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available.

Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online.

Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands.

Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.

Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving.

If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.

The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors.

Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

Check out our directory of research universities throughout the U.S. for a look at the top research institutions in every state.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Research Universities in Montana 2026

Key Takeaways

Best Research Universities in Montana in 2026

Best Research Universities in Montana

Last Year’s Ranking:

University of Montana

Career Outlook for degree at University of Montana

Most Influential Alumni

University of Montana’s Online Degrees

Montana State University

Career Outlook for degree at Montana State University

Most Influential Alumni

Montana State University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Find the Best Research Universities in Montana for Your Area of Interest