Head-to-head comparison
The University of Montana-Western vs Fort Peck Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Dillon, MT
The University of Montana-Western
- Net price / year
- $16,558
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,229
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Poplar, MT
Fort Peck Community College
- Net price / year
- $400
- Earnings, 10 years
- $14,747
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but The University of Montana-Western comes closer — median earnings $43,229 against a $66,232 total, vs $14,747 at Fort Peck Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | The University of Montana-Western | Fort Peck Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,558 | $400 |
| Total net cost | $66,232 | $800 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,229 | $14,747 |
| Median debt | $21,000 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$168,852 | -$673,060 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, The University of Montana-Western or Fort Peck Community College?
Fort Peck Community College, at $400 a year after aid versus $16,558 — a gap of $16,158 a year, or $65,432 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 The University of Montana-Western or Fort Peck Community College graduates earn more?
The University of Montana-Western graduates report a median $43,229 ten years after entry, $28,482 more than the $14,747 at Fort Peck 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?
51% of students finish at The University of Montana-Western, against 17% at Fort Peck Community College. 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.