Head-to-head comparison
Great Falls College Montana State University vs Blackfeet Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Great Falls, MT
Great Falls College Montana State University
- Net price / year
- $12,468
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,034
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Browning, MT
Blackfeet Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,410
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,953
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Great Falls College Montana State University comes closer — median earnings $38,034 against a $24,936 total, vs $22,953 at Blackfeet Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Great Falls College Montana State University | Blackfeet Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,468 | $5,410 |
| Total net cost | $24,936 | $10,820 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,034 | $22,953 |
| Median debt | — | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$231,456 | -$518,960 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Great Falls College Montana State University or Blackfeet Community College?
Blackfeet Community College, at $5,410 a year after aid versus $12,468 — a gap of $7,058 a year, or $14,116 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Great Falls College Montana State University or Blackfeet Community College graduates earn more?
Great Falls College Montana State University graduates report a median $38,034 ten years after entry, $15,081 more than the $22,953 at Blackfeet Community College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
62% of students finish at Blackfeet Community College, against 34% at Great Falls College Montana State University. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.