How Much Does an Online Master’s Degree Cost?–

An online master’s degree costs about $40,000 for the average grad student. However, the cost of your online master’s degree will depend on the type of grad school you attend. In 2018-2019, the average cost for a year of tuition in a public grad school was $12,171. The average cost for a year of tuition in private, non-profit grad school was $27,776. An online master’s degree will usually cost about the same as a traditional master’s degree. Some schools will charge 5-10% more for online courses. This added cost pays for the technology and specialized training needed for online instruction. But getting a master’s degree online can also help you save money. The costs above don’t include expenses like housing, transportation, or certain campus fees. As an online grad student, you can save a lot of money by avoiding these added expenses. Many online master’s degree programs are also accelerated. Most master’s degree programs are designed to be completed in two years. But you may be able to earn your online master’s degree in as little as 12-18 months. Earning an accelerated online master’s degree can save you money on tuition.

What Can I Expect From an Online College Course?–

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

Will Employers Respect My Online Degree?–

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction. While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

What Are the Advantages of Online Classes?–

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

What Are the Disadvantages of Online Classes?–

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment. While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

How do we determine Montana's best online master's degree programs?

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Best Online Master’s Programs in Montana 2023

By James Barham
Reviewed By AI Staff

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Montana ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs. Faculty and alumni with influential ideas are the foundation of respectable online degree programs employers can trust.

Colleges and Universities in Montana

Montana has 21 higher learning institutions, including 16 public universities and colleges. The largest is Montana State University (MSU) in Bozeman. With an affordable tuition of $7,000, MSU enrolls just over 16,000 students. Students can earn their degree in fields like forestry, wildlife biology, theatre, and creative writing. The state is also home to five private schools, three of which are religiously affiliated.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Carroll College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college with just over 1,000 students in attendance. The tuition runs about $35,000, the most expensive in the state, and it is located on a hilltop in Helena. Students can choose from 18 schools in Montana with tuitions of $7,000 or less, making Montana an affordable state to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree. The state also offers loan repayment programs, including the Montana NHSC Student Loan Repayment Program, which grants up to $15,000 per year for two years for those in health-related fields.

Hiking through Glacier National Park, exploring the Northern Great Plains, and fishing from one of its many lakes and rivers are just some of the ways to enjoy the natural bounty that Montana has to offer. Visitors and locals can also drive Going-to-the-Sun-Road, a 52-mile highway that ventures through the National Park and crosses into Canada. No matter the outdoor hobby, prospective students are sure to love the scenic backdrop of The Treasure State as they earn their degree.

Check out the best programs Montana has to offer while enjoying the wide-open spaces of Big Sky Country.

Best Online Master’s Program in Montana 2022

#1
University of Montana
Missoula , MT
#1 Best Colleges in Montana 2023 #1 Most Affordable Colleges in Montana 2023 #1 Best Graduate Schools in Montana 2023 #1 Best Research Universities in Montana 2023
Other Rankings
- #1 Best Public Colleges in Montana 2023
- #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
48%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1145/23
Online Master’s Degrees
MA in Education

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MEd in Educational Leadership

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MA in Teaching and Learning

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MPA in Public Administration

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MPA/MPH in Public Health

Required Credits: 42
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MPH in Public Health

Required Credits: 42
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
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#2
Montana State University
Bozeman , MT
#2 Best Colleges in Montana 2023 #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Montana 2023 #2 Best Graduate Schools in Montana 2023 #2 Best Research Universities in Montana 2023
Other Rankings
- #2 Best Public Colleges in Montana 2023
- #2 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
55%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1205/24
Online Master’s Degrees
MS in Family Financial Planning

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Mathematics Education

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Science Education

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MAT in Teaching

Concentrations

Initial Teaching Licensure

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 1-2 years
Format: Online
MEd in Curriculum and Instruction

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MA in English Education

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Land Resources and Environmental Sciences

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MSN in Clinical Nurse Leader

Required Credits: 42
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Dietetic Systems Leadership

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Agricultural Education

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
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#3
Montana State University Billings
Billings , MT
#3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Montana 2023 #3 Best Small Colleges in Montana 2023 #4 Most Affordable Colleges in Montana 2023 #4 Best Public Colleges in Montana 2023
Other Rankings
- #5 Best Colleges in Montana 2023
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
28%
Student body
3K
Online Master’s Degrees
MS in Special Education Advanced Studies

Required Credits: 33
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Special Education Generalist

Required Credits: 39
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MEd in School Counseling

Required Credits: 48
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Public Relations

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2 years
Format: Online
MHA in Health Administration

Required Credits: 51
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
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#4
Montana Technological University
Butte , MT
#3 Best Graduate Schools in Montana 2023 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Montana 2023 #5 Most Affordable Colleges in Montana 2023 #5 Best Small Colleges in Montana 2023
Other Rankings
- #5 Best Public Colleges in Montana 2023
- #7 Best Colleges in Montana 2023
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
57%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1202/24
Online Master’s Degrees
MS in Project Engineering and Management

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Industrial Hygiene

Required Credits: 37
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
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#5
University of Providence
Great Falls , MT
#10 The Best Catholic Colleges and Universities Ranked for 2023 #3 Best Christian Colleges in Montana 2023 #3 Best Private Colleges in Montana 2023 #5 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$27K
Acceptance
100%
Graduation
39%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
920/19
Online Master’s Degrees
MS in Organizational Leadership

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Sports Management

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MSN in Nurse Educator

Required Credits: 33
Completion time: 1 year
Format: Online
MSN in Adult Gerontology

Required Credits: 48
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
Master of Healthcare Administration

Required Credits: 52
Completion time: 3 years
Format: Online
MS in Infection Prevention and Epidemiology

Required Credits: 52
Completion time: 23 months
Format: Online
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#6
Montana State University–Northern
Havre , MT
#6 Most Affordable Colleges in Montana 2023 #6 Best Public Colleges in Montana 2023 #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Montana 2023 #7 Best Small Colleges in Montana 2023
Other Rankings
- #9 Best Colleges in Montana 2023
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
31%
Student body
<1K
Online Master’s Degrees
MS in Education, Instruction and Learning

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
Compare school

Best Online Master’s Programs in Montana 2023

Top Online Master's Programs in Montana

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Colleges and Universities in Montana

What are Montana’s Colleges & Universities?

Montana’s Best Overall

Best Online Master’s Program in Montana 2022

University of Montana

Online Master’s Degrees

Montana State University

Online Master’s Degrees

Concentrations

Montana State University Billings

Online Master’s Degrees

Montana Technological University

Online Master’s Degrees

University of Providence

Online Master’s Degrees

Montana State University–Northern

Online Master’s Degrees

Montana’s Best Grad Programs in Your Area Interest