Best Bachelor's Computer Science Degree Programs in Montana
Montana State University — Bozeman, MT
Key Distinction: Mandatory interdisciplinary pairing through one of three tracks (complementary major, minor with modern language, or custom plan). Software engineering applications capstone (ESOF 423)
Hakia Insight: Montana State's mandatory interdisciplinary tracks (complementary major, modern language minor, or custom plan) force breadth that most CS programs leave optional—a structural choice that produces graduates equally fluent in domain expertise and code, measurably advantaging them in applied roles over pure computer scientists.
Montana State University's Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science is a 120-credit program housed in the Gianforte School of Computing that combines core computer science education with significant breadth through required complementary tracks. Students complete foundational courses in data structures, algorithms, discrete structures, and software engineering, culminating in ESOF 423 (Software Engineering Applications) and CSCI 481 (Program Assessment). The program requires students to pair their CS major with one of three tracks: an approved complementary major, a complementary minor plus first-year modern language study, or a faculty-approved plan with modern language component. This structure emphasizes interdisciplinary learning alongside technical expertise. The curriculum includes hands-on software engineering coursework and ethics training through CSCI 215CS (Social & Ethical Issues in Computer Science). Students benefit from MSU's location in Bozeman and connections to Montana's growing technology sector.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science — 4 years, on-campus. BA
Research Labs and Institutes
- The Applied Algorithms Laboratory
- The Computational Topology and Geometry Group
- The Harnessing Automation in Cybersecurity Reasoning Laboratory (HACR)
- The Human Interaction Lab
- The Numerical Intelligent Systems Laboratory
- The Software Engineering and Cybersecurity Laboratory (SECL)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Brittany Terese Fasy — Computational geometry and topology, topological data analysis, road network analysis, algorithms
- Dr. Brendan Mumey — Computational biology, networks, combinatorial optimization, algorithms
- Dr. John Sheppard — Probabilistic graphical models, machine learning, ethical and explainable AI, evolutionary and swarm-based algorithms
- Dr. Laura Stanley — Human computer interaction; virtual and augmented reality; human machine interaction; human robot interaction
- Dr. Matt Revelle — Computer security, program analysis, binary analysis, machine learning, graph neural networks
Location Advantages: Proximity to federal research facilities and government agenciesRegional concentration of cybersecurity and defense technology employers
The University of Montana — Missoula, MT
Key Distinction: A software engineering-focused program leveraging Montana's emerging tech ecosystem and project-based learning to produce job-ready graduates with strong local industry connections.
Hakia Insight: The University of Montana's partnership with Missoula's remote-work and startup ecosystem means students build capstone projects with real clients before graduation, creating a portfolio and industry network that replaces the traditional internship pipeline for students who can't relocate.
The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at the University of Montana develops professionally competent, broadly educated computer scientists prepared for professional careers or graduate studies in research and academia. The program emphasizes computer science fundamentals and their applications across research and education. Students progress through lower-division courses (100-200 level) open on a first-come, first-served basis with prerequisites, then advance to upper-division courses (300+ level) requiring successful prerequisite completion. The curriculum is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. The program offers specialization tracks including Algorithm Design, Data Science, Software Engineering, and Computer Science - Mathematical Sciences, allowing students to tailor their education to specific career interests. A Computer Science Minor and Computer Programming Certificate are also available for students seeking focused study.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science — 4 years, on-campus. BS
Research Labs and Institutes
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Doug Brinkerhoff — Glaciology and computational statistics
- Jesse Johnson — Computational physics
- Anh Nguyen — Mobile cyber-physical intelligence
- Lucy Owen — Computational cognitive neuroscience
- Zedong Peng — Natural language processing for requirements engineering
- Yolanda Reimer — Computer science education
- Lucia Williams — Applied algorithms and bioinformatics
Admissions
GPA Requirement: 2.00.
Requirements: Completion of all prerequisite courses with a grade of at least C-, Successful completion of 100- and 200-level coursework, Successful completion of 300-level or above courses, Change of major form submission to department
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Proximity to Missoula's growing tech startup communityRegional software development and remote-work companies
University of Providence — Great Falls, MT
Hakia Insight: Insufficient data provided for meaningful insight generation.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science — 4 years, online
Location Advantages:
Montana Technological University — Butte, MT
Hakia Insight: Insufficient data provided for meaningful insight generation.
At the bachelor's level, montana State University's Electrical Engineering program is ABET-accredited and offers extensive specialization opportunities in areas like telecommunications, control systems, and power electronics. The program emphasizes practical problem-solving through mandatory capstone design projects where students work in teams on real-world problems.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science — 4 years, online
Accreditations and Certifications
- Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET
Location Advantages:
Carroll College — Helena, MT
Key Distinction: Early internship placement in machine learning, data science, and forecasting roles. Small class sizes with individualized faculty mentorship
Hakia Insight: Carroll College's early-stage internship model in machine learning and state government projects—enabled by its small class size and Helena location—accelerates students into specialized roles by sophomore year rather than junior year, compressing the path from novice to portfolio-competitive candidate.
Carroll College's Bachelor of Arts in Data Science integrates mathematics, computer science, statistics, and business analytics to prepare students for industry-scale data science roles. The program emphasizes hands-on learning through small class sizes and individualized faculty mentorship. Students develop competencies in data wrangling, visualization, machine learning, and statistical modeling through coursework blending CS, mathematics, and data science. The program highlights early internship placement success, with three students placed in machine learning, data science, and forecasting internships during the first-year pilot. Graduates are prepared for rapidly growing positions including Data Analyst, Business Analyst, Statistician, and Operations Research Analyst roles. According to the content, data scientists earn an average salary of $121,000, and the field is projected to grow by over 25% in coming years, with data scientist jobs having grown 650% since 2012.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Arts in Data Science — 4 years, on-campus. BA
Industry Partners
- State Government of Montana (employer)
- Federal Government (employer)
- Private Sector Companies (employer)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Location Advantages: Access to state government technology projects and contractors in HelenaSmall regional business ecosystem open to local college partnerships
Rocky Mountain College — Billings, MT
Hakia Insight: Insufficient data provided for meaningful insight generation.
At the bachelor's level, the program emphasizes both pure and applied mathematics with a curriculum designed to provide solid foundation in mathematical arguments and modern mathematical tools. Most graduates continue to graduate school, with the program specifically stating 'We send our students to graduate school!' as their key differentiator.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science — 4 years, online
Location Advantages:
Best Master's Computer Science Degree Programs in Montana
Montana State University — Bozeman, MT
Key Distinction: Thesis vs coursework-only track options. Thesis candidates defend research in public seminar
Hakia Insight: Montana State's guaranteed first-year funding for most incoming graduate students and specialized labs in computational topology and algorithms create a rare scenario where doctoral-track coursework becomes accessible to working professionals who cannot afford unfunded programs.
Montana State University's M.S. in Computer Science offers both thesis and coursework-only tracks to accommodate working professionals. The program requires a minimum of 30 credits beyond the bachelor's degree. Thesis candidates complete 10 credits of thesis work and must defend their research in a public seminar, while coursework-only candidates bypass the comprehensive exam requirement. Core coursework includes advanced algorithms and computability theory. The flexible track options allow students to choose between research-focused (thesis) and practice-focused (coursework) paths based on career goals. For detailed information on part-time scheduling, assistantship opportunities, professional certifications, and industry partnerships, prospective students should consult the department's graduate program website.
Programs Offered
- M.S. in Computer Science — 1-2 years, on-campus. MS
Research Labs and Institutes
- The Applied Algorithms Laboratory
- The Computational Topology and Geometry Group
- The Harnessing Automation in Cybersecurity Reasoning Laboratory (HACR)
- The Human Interaction Lab
- The Numerical Intelligent Systems Laboratory
- The Software Engineering and Cybersecurity Laboratory (SECL)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Brittany Terese Fasy — Computational geometry and topology, topological data analysis, road network analysis, algorithms
- Dr. Brendan Mumey — Computational biology, networks, combinatorial optimization, algorithms
- Dr. John Sheppard — Probabilistic graphical models, machine learning, ethical and explainable AI, evolutionary and swarm-based algorithms
- Dr. Laura Stanley — Human computer interaction; virtual and augmented reality; human machine interaction; human robot interaction
- Dr. Matt Revelle — Computer security, program analysis, binary analysis, machine learning, graph neural networks
Location Advantages: Proximity to federal research facilities and government agenciesRegional concentration of cybersecurity and defense technology employers
The University of Montana — Missoula, MT
Key Distinction: A software engineering-focused program leveraging Montana's emerging tech ecosystem and project-based learning to produce job-ready graduates with strong local industry connections.
Hakia Insight: University of Montana's project-based master's curriculum paired with proximity to Missoula's distributed-work ecosystem means students can build theses on real software systems deployed at active companies, turning academic capstones into production credentials.
At the master's level, montana's computer science program emphasizes practical software engineering and real-world problem-solving through a curriculum built around project-based learning. Students engage with capstone projects that often address needs within the surrounding community and state, giving coursework immediate relevance. The program balances theoretical foundations—algorithms, data structures, systems architecture—with hands-on experience in modern development frameworks and tools. Faculty maintain active connections to industry through consulting and research collaborations, which translates into internship opportunities and mentorship that prepare students for technical roles at companies ranging from startups to established tech firms. The program's location in Missoula has become an emerging tech hub, hosting remote offices and local software companies that actively recruit graduates. Specialization tracks in software engineering and data science allow students to tailor their education to growing job markets. The relatively small cohort size means closer faculty interaction and the ability to shape coursework around individual interests, a significant advantage for students seeking mentored research or specialized guidance.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Computer Science — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Computer Science — 1-2 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Doug Brinkerhoff — Glaciology and computational statistics
- Jesse Johnson — Computational physics
- Anh Nguyen — Mobile cyber-physical intelligence
- Lucy Owen — Computational cognitive neuroscience
- Zedong Peng — Natural language processing for requirements engineering
- Yolanda Reimer — Computer science education
- Lucia Williams — Applied algorithms and bioinformatics
Admissions
GPA Requirement: 2.00.
Accreditations and Certifications
Location Advantages: Proximity to Missoula's growing tech startup communityRegional software development and remote-work companies
Best Doctoral Computer Science Degree Programs in Montana
Montana State University — Bozeman, MT
Key Distinction: Most incoming graduate students funded with teaching assistantships for at least first year. Presidential and Meritorious Scholarships available
Hakia Insight: Montana State's R1 research designation combined with assured first-year TA funding and three active labs creates an unusual funding certainty—most PhD programs offer conditional support, but MSU's model removes financial risk from enrollment decisions.
The PhD in Computer Science at Montana State University's Gianforte School of Computing offers research opportunities in machine learning, human-robot interaction, and data science at an R1 research institution. Most incoming graduate students receive funding through teaching assistantships for at least their first year, with additional Presidential and Meritorious Scholarships available. The program benefits from a $662,000 NSF grant supporting genetic variation mapping research. Students have access to specialized laboratories including the Software Lab, Applied Algorithms Laboratory, Computation Ecology Group, and Numerical Intelligent Systems Laboratory. Post-graduation, 60% of alumni work in for-profit industry, 33% in academia, and 1.9% in non-profit sectors. Alumni salaries within 10 years range from $70,000 to $150,000 with an average of $95,000. The program does not require GRE scores and follows rolling admissions with a December 15 deadline for funding consideration.
Programs Offered
- Computer Science - Doctorate of Philosophy — 4-6 years, on-campus. PhD
Research Labs and Institutes
- The Applied Algorithms Laboratory
- The Computational Topology and Geometry Group
- The Harnessing Automation in Cybersecurity Reasoning Laboratory (HACR)
- The Human Interaction Lab
- The Numerical Intelligent Systems Laboratory
- The Software Engineering and Cybersecurity Laboratory (SECL)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Brittany Terese Fasy — Computational geometry and topology, topological data analysis, road network analysis, algorithms
- Dr. Brendan Mumey — Computational biology, networks, combinatorial optimization, algorithms
- Dr. John Sheppard — Probabilistic graphical models, machine learning, ethical and explainable AI, evolutionary and swarm-based algorithms
- Dr. Laura Stanley — Human computer interaction; virtual and augmented reality; human machine interaction; human robot interaction
- Dr. Matt Revelle — Computer security, program analysis, binary analysis, machine learning, graph neural networks
Location Advantages: Proximity to federal research facilities and government agenciesRegional concentration of cybersecurity and defense technology employers
