Nursing education entails significant up-front costs, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other living expenses. These costs vary depending upon several factors, including the length of one’s nursing program and the type of institution. To better quantify these expenses, we profile below the all-in costs of a few prominent Montana nursing schools.
Salish Kootenai College
As a private college, Salish Kootenai naturally charges higher tuition than Montana’s public colleges. Each credit hour costs students between $250 and $450 depending upon several factors. A full-time one-year program can thus cost anywhere from $4,191 to $11,463 in tuition.
Helena College offers prelicensure associate’s degree programs in both licensed practical nursing (LPN) and registered nursing (RN). Total costs can vary from $8,678 to $13,378, depending upon the length of the program. This represents an excellent financial investment, since Montana’s LPNs earn $38,000 per year on average and its RNs earn $59,000 annually. Furthermore, students experiencing financial hardship may apply for direct assistance from the school.
Highlands College of Montana Tech
Highlands College offers a certified nursing assistant (CNA) certificate program three times per year. Tuition fees are fairly low, varying from $100 to $400 per credit hour, and students can graduate from the course in just one semester. Montana’s CNAs earn a median annual salary of $24,000.
Below we provide additional information on Montana’s top nursing schools, ordered from most to least expensive.