Helena College University of Montana
Helena, Montana · Also known as Helena College · Website
$40,738
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$40,738
median earnings, 10 years after starting
Helena College University of Montana is a public 2-year college in Helena, Montana with 585 undergraduates. Its average net price after grants is $11,593 a year (tuition and fees $4,146 in-state, $11,318 out-of-state). 33% of students finish within 3 years. Former students earn a median $40,738 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $14,580 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$11,593
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$4,146
Out-of-state $11,318
Admission rate
Open
Completion rate
33%
Within 3 years, US 58%
Median debt
$14,580
About $155 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$40,738
Rank 2,561 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $11,593
- Tuition in-state
- $4,146
- Tuition out-of-state
- $11,318
- Cost of attendance
- $15,819
- Students with a need-based grant
- 18%
- Students with federal loans
- 17%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $9,709
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $8,148
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $12,803
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $15,241
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $15,485
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $3,085 in 2015-16 to $4,146 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- Open admission
- Undergraduates
- 585
- Part-time students
- 44%
- Women
- 62%
- Students per teacher
- 15
- Completion rate
- 33%
- Retention rate
- 55%
- Highest degree
- Associate's degree
- Programs
- 23
- Endowment
- $376K
- Other
- Open admission
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 2,561 of 5,094 US colleges and 14 of 25 in Montana (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | MT median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $11,593 | $13,337 | $7,702 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $4,146 | $4,961 | $4,656 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | - | 82% | 79% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 33% | 45% | 38% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 55% | 64% | 64% | 75% |
| Median debt | $14,580 | $18,500 | $10,417 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $37,317 | $35,820 | $33,563 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $40,738 | $41,951 | $38,555 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 2-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 48% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 63% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
23 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 42 | $12,000 | $31,290 | $39,893 | $44,125 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 34 | - | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's | Associate's | 29 | $17,500 | $63,902 | $69,033 | $80,813 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansCertificate | Certificate | 25 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $51,586 |
| Precision Metal WorkingCertificate | Certificate | 23 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $48,702 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 19 | $12,825 | $46,288 | $50,149 | $58,424 |
| Precision Metal WorkingAssociate's | Associate's | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | $36,385 | $56,451 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $44,589 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsCertificate | Certificate | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $56,073 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 7 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $50,211 |
| Fire ProtectionAssociate's | Associate's | 6 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $73,589 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 6 | $20,429 | Withheld | $53,281 | $47,660 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 6 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Computer ProgrammingAssociate's | Associate's | 3 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $58,070 |
| Fire ProtectionCertificate | Certificate | 3 | - | - | Withheld | - |
| Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsAssociate's | Associate's | 1 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $51,711 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant ServicesAssociate's | Associate's | 1 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $37,587 |
| Legal Support ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 0 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $49,747 |
| Health and Medical Administrative ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 0 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $35,447 |
| Health and Medical Administrative ServicesAssociate's | Associate's | 0 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 0 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $32,681 |
| Design and Applied ArtsCertificate | Certificate | - | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $36,116 |
| Human Resources Management and ServicesCertificate | Certificate | - | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: the county of Helena and Montana on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in Montana
- Homes: Homes for sale in Montana
Questions and answers
How much does Helena College University of Montana cost?
$11,593 a year is the average net price at Helena College University of Montana after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $4,146 for in-state students and $11,318 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $15,819. Families earning under $30,000 pay $9,709 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at Helena College University of Montana?
Helena College University of Montana has open admission: it accepts students who meet its basic requirements, such as a high school diploma.
How much do Helena College University of Montana graduates earn?
$40,738 a year is the median pay of former Helena College University of Montana students who work, 10 years after they started ($37,317 after 6 years). That ranks 2,561 of 5,094 US colleges and 14 of 25 in Montana. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's) at $63,902.
How much student debt do Helena College University of Montana graduates have?
$14,580 is the median federal student loan debt of Helena College University of Montana graduates, about $155 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 17% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at Helena College University of Montana?
33% of first-time, full-time students at Helena College University of Montana finish within 3 years. 55% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 2-year colleges is 38%.
What are the most popular majors at Helena College University of Montana?
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (42 associate's graduates), Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (34 certificate graduates), Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (29 associate's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 23 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.