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Great Falls College Montana State University

#6 Best Nursing Colleges in Montana
Public Great Falls, MT · Urban · Rocky Mountains · 80% data
B- Affordability C+ Value C Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
33% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$38,034 C-
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$12,468 B-
27% less than the typical college
Enrollment
894
Earnings -7% vs avg
Graduation -42% vs avg
Net Price +-27% vs avg
Mobility Top 54%

Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 16.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $16.4 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Best Nursing Colleges in Montana.

16.4× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $16.4 over 20 years. Net gain: $767,168.

What The Data Says

  1. A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 33% — 42% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $16.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Great Falls College Montana State University Matters

Great Falls College Montana State University is a public community college in Great Falls, MT and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
894
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Precision Production, Humanities, Computer Science & IT

Why students choose Great Falls College Montana State University

Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C-
Top 55% overall
C-
Earnings
$38,034 median
C+
Value
3.1× net price
B-
Affordability
$12,468/yr net
D
Graduation
33% graduate
C
Social Mobility
1.4% climb Q1→Q5
D+
Diversity
0.42 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Great Falls College Montana State University is ideal for students who thrive in a close-knit environment. With an enrollment of just 894, it offers a personalized experience, allowing for strong connections with peers and faculty. Students can dive into practical fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Computer Science & IT, preparing them for careers that have tangible impact in their communities.

After graduation, students can expect earnings around $38,034 within a decade. This figure highlights the potential for upward mobility, especially for those who pursue careers in growing sectors like health and technology. Affordability plays a significant role here too; with a net price of $12,468, it makes pursuing a degree more accessible for many. Additionally, 31% of students receive Pell Grants, which can further ease financial burdens.

When looking at the bottom line, Great Falls College is a solid choice for students focused on practical education and manageable costs. While there isn't specific data on debt load, the emphasis on affordability suggests that students can graduate with less financial stress. This environment is particularly suited for those who are motivated, value community, and want to make a difference in their careers.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Great Falls College Montana State University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Great Falls College Montana State University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Great Falls, Montana, Great Falls College Montana State University enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 33%.

Retention Rate
56%
Full-Time Faculty
41%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,864
Student–Faculty Ratio
14:1
Diversity Index
0.42
First-Gen Students
39%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Great Falls College Montana State University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Great Falls College Montana State University is $12,911, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $12,468. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,675 after need-based grants.

In-State Tuition
$4,028
Out-of-State
$12,911
Avg Net Price
$12,468
Pell Grant Rate
31%
Federal Loan Rate
30%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$10,675
Family Income $30K–$48K
$10,624
Family Income $48K–$75K
$11,778
Family Income $110K+
$16,664

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Great Falls College Montana State University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Great Falls College Montana State University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Great Falls College Montana State University report median earnings of $38,034, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$35,625
8 Years
$36,005
10 Years
$38,034
Earning > $25K
49%

Earnings Trajectory

$35,625 6yr $36,005 8yr $38,034 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (52)
33%
100% (52)
33%
100% (52)
33%
100% (52)
33%

How Great Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation33%Earnings 10yr$38KNet Price$12KRetention56%Pell Grant Rate31%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$11K$0-30K$11K$30-48K$12K$48-75K$17K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%21.5%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%6.5%MOBILITY1.39%

College ROI Calculator

Is Great Falls College Montana State University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Great Falls College Montana State University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $12,468/year ($49,872 total). Graduates earn $38,034 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $817,040 in total earnings — a net gain of $767,168 (16.4× your investment).. With a 33% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$49,872
Projected 20yr Earnings
$817,040
Net Return
$767,168
ROI Multiple
16.4×
Cost Per Year
$12,468
Graduation Rate
33%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Great Falls College Montana State University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Great Falls College Montana State University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.39%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 21.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 6.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $54,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.39%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
6.5%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
21.5%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$73,775
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Great Falls College Montana State University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Great Falls College Montana State University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.01, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.01
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.02
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
4.6%
Support Ratio
0.95
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
$11,301
Federal Grants
$306,792
Investment Income
$17,411

Top Programs

The fields Great Falls College Montana State University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Great Falls College Montana State University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Great Falls, Montana, Great Falls College Montana State University enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 33%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Great Falls College Montana State University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Great Falls College Montana State University is $12,911, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $12,468. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,675 after need-based grants.

Is Great Falls College Montana State University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Great Falls College Montana State University report median earnings of $38,034, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Great Falls College Montana State University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Great Falls College Montana State University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.39%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 21.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 6.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $54,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Great Falls College Montana State University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Great Falls College Montana State University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.01, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys