Accounting Schools in Montana

Known for its wide open landscapes and resource-rich economy, Montana offers unique opportunities if you plan on pursuing an accounting degree. Whether you start with an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s program, accounting remains a reliable career path in this state.

Roles remain in demand for tax preparers, compliance officers, and financial analysts, all of whom Montana’s key industries rely on. You can find flexible learning pathways to match your goals, including traditional campus-based learning, distance learning, and hybrid learning. Keep reading to explore requirements, costs, delivery formats, and career opportunities to see if Montana is the right place to start your journey.

If you’re considering a career in accounting, earning your degree in Montana can be a good option. You can benefit from smaller class sizes, strong faculty mentorship, and close ties to local businesses and government agencies that routinely hire accounting graduates.

At schools like the University of Montana or Montana State University, you can find programs specifically designed to prepare you for the certified public accountant (CPA) exam and in-demand careers. Academic communities tend to be close-knit in Montana, given the smaller population, but networking opportunities are plentiful. More than 90% of the University of Montana’s accounting students are hired in their field or accepted to graduate school.

You can also use several scholarships and tuition waivers to make college more affordable, including merit awards and programs for Native American students. Montana provides a great place to start your journey if you want a personalized, affordable education with clever career outcomes.

Given Montana’s less dense population, it’s no surprise it has fewer colleges than a state with more large metropolitan areas. Fewer students take part in distance education here (35.6% versus 53.2% nationally), preferring instead to take advantage of in-person learning.

Montana slightly outpaces the U.S. in the percentage of adults with associate and bachelor’s degrees, showing that, despite fewer institutions, educational attainment is prioritized.

By attending an accredited school, you can trust that your education meets quality standards recognized by employers, graduate programs, and licensing boards. Two types of accreditation exist: institutional and programmatic. Institutional accreditation applies to the college or university, while programmatic accreditation applies to specific fields, like accounting.

In Montana, look for schools accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. For accounting, check for accreditation by an organization such as the AACSB.

Choosing the right accounting program involves weighing many factors, including cost, career outcomes, and timeline. Another important consideration is delivery format. While fewer students in Montana pursue distance education, plenty of schools in the state offer online learning alongside traditional campus-based programs.

To help you make an informed, confident decision, we look at what each of the three popular learning formats entails and which style best suits different learners.

Campus-based programs offer small class sizes, strong faculty mentorship, and direct ties to local firms. In 2025, 64.4% of all learners in Montana opted for in-person learning, far above the national average. This is a great option if you want a traditional college experience where you can interact face-to-face with peers and professors.

Online programs allow you to study from anywhere while earning a degree from a Montana institution. If you’re a working professional, career changer, or student balancing family responsibilities, an online accounting degree could be the ideal option. These programs provide the benefits of top-tier learning with needed flexibility.

If you want the best of both worlds, consider a hybrid program. These allow you to enjoy the benefits of face-to-face learning and networking on campus alongside the flexibility of distance education. Hybrid programs are a great option if you don’t want to miss out on either experience.

Financing your accounting degree in Montana involves understanding tuition costs and exploring available funding options. On average, in-state tuition at public colleges is $7,299, well below the national average of $9,750. Options include financial aid via federal or state agencies, merit- or need-based scholarships that don’t require repayment, need-based grants, and loans that require repayment.

Montana also offers unique tuition waivers for Native American students and dependents of public service workers. Many companies, nonprofits, accounting societies, and other trade groups offer scholarships, so make sure to exhaust all options before applying for loans.

In Montana, resident students pay significantly less than their nonresident counterparts, with a nearly $21,000 annual difference for public schools. Many out-of-state students pay the higher rate, but some colleges offer tuition breaks or scholarships that bring costs closer to in-state rates.

Montana also participates in the Western Undergraduate Exchange, allowing students from partner western states to pay reduced tuition — often about 150% of in-state rates. These agreements and tuition discounts can make Montana schools more affordable if you live outside of the state, especially if you’re interested in settling and working in Montana after graduating.

As you budget for a Montana education, it’s important to consider living costs. According to MERIC, Montana’s cost of living index is 95.5 according to MERIC, meaning it’s about 4.5% below the U.S. average.

A lower cost of living helps make housing, utilities, food, and transportation more affordable and reduces your monthly expenses while attending school. Costs vary wildly by city, so always check local data when planning your budget.

Nationally, accountants enjoy steady demand, with projected growth of 4.4% between 2022 and 2032. In Montana, however, accountant jobs are projected to grow by an impressive 10.4% during the same timeframe. Thanks to established agriculture, natural resource extraction, tourism industries, and a growing tech sector, accountants will be in demand for years.

While there isn’t a dominant Big Four presence, regional and mid-sized firms serve state agencies, energy, mining, and agribusiness sectors. Major cities like Billings, Missoula, Helena, and Bozeman house most accounting and finance roles, although you can still find them in smaller locales. In the next section, we look at some of the state’s most popular jobs for accounting graduates.

Although Montana wages tend to be below national averages, there are exceptions — particularly in higher-level roles. For example, tax preparers in Montana earn significantly more than the national average: $73,270 annually, compared with $58,860. Meanwhile, personal financial advisors earn more than $145,000 each year.

Pursuing at least a bachelor’s or master’s degree may see the best long-term returns, especially for financial analyst, financial manager, and advisor roles.

Entry-level positions for bookkeeping and payroll clerks remain steady options, but advanced degrees can open the door to higher salaries.

The Montana Board of Public Accountants oversees the certification process for CPAs in the state, setting forth rules and regulations for those hoping to become — and stay — a CPA.

As of January 2026, Montana is providing two paths to certification:

All applicants must pass four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination with a score of 75 or higher. All students must take the sections on auditing and attestation, financial accounting and reporting, and taxation and regulation. They may choose their final section from business analysis and reporting, tax compliance and planning, or information systems and controls. All candidates must also pass the AICPA Ethics exam.

After meeting all requirements, you can submit your application along with a $150 fee. Once certified, you must renew your license every three years. During that time, you must complete at least 120 hours of continuing education, including two hours on ethics.