Educational Attainment
About 94.1% of Montana adults hold a high school diploma and 33.2% a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023, both above the national averages.
Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year (FRED GCT1502MT).
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher (%) | 33.2 | 34.3 |
- •Montana's high school completion rate ranks among the top 15 states in the country.
Schools
Montana operates roughly 820 public K-12 schools across 149 school districts, many of them small rural districts serving fewer than 100 students.
Public schools reporting teachers
1986–2024NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.
Public school enrollment (K-12)
1986–2024NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Students per school | 180 | 520 |
- •Montana has more one-room and single-teacher schools than almost any other U.S. state.
Universities
Montana is home to two flagship public research universities, Montana State University in Bozeman and the University of Montana in Missoula, enrolling over 25,000 students combined.
College and graduate school students
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, undergraduate + graduate/professional, B14001 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Combined flagship enrollment (thousands) | 26 | 30 |
- •Montana State University holds Carnegie R1 'very high research activity' status, rare among schools its size.
Graduation Rates
Montana's public high school graduation rate was about 87.4% for the 2022-23 cohort, slightly above the national average of 87.0%.
Adults 25+ with a high school diploma or higher
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B15003 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| High school graduation rate (%) | 87.4 | 87 |
- •Graduation rates on some Montana reservations remain well below the statewide average, a key equity gap.
Student Enrollment
Montana's public K-12 enrollment was about 147,000 students in the 2023-24 school year, holding roughly steady after modest growth tied to in-migration.
People enrolled in school (age 3+)
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B14001 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| K-12 enrollment (thousands) | 147 | 990 |
- •Billings Public Schools is Montana's largest district, enrolling more students than some entire rural counties.
Student-Teacher Ratios
Montana's average student-teacher ratio is about 14.1 to 1, notably lower than the national average, reflecting the state's many small rural schools.
Students per full-time teacher (public schools)
1986–2024NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.
Full-time-equivalent public school teachers
1986–2024NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Student-teacher ratio | 14.1 | 15.5 |
- •Some frontier Montana schools have fewer than 10 students per teacher due to extremely low enrollment.