Public Health at Montana Technological University

Montana Tech's public health program posts numbers that look almost too good to be true—and the small graduating class suggests caution is warranted. First-year earnings of $74,771 dwarf both the state median ($52,801) and the national median ($37,548) for public health bachelor's degrees, placing graduates in the 95th percentile nationally. Among Montana's three programs, this ranks in the 80th percentile, significantly outpacing Carroll College's $30,831. The modest $27,000 debt load translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.36, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in less than five months of earnings.

The catch? With fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, these figures could reflect a handful of exceptional outcomes rather than typical results. Small programs can produce extreme averages when just a few students land unusually high-paying positions—perhaps in mining health and safety roles specific to Montana's extractive industries, or in specialized technical positions that capitalize on Montana Tech's engineering-focused environment.

For parents, this creates a dilemma: the numbers suggest excellent value, but the small sample makes it hard to predict whether your student would achieve similar results. If your child is comfortable at a STEM-oriented campus where public health might mean occupational safety rather than traditional community health work, the risk-reward calculation could favor Montana Tech. Just understand you're betting on limited data rather than established patterns.