Montana Schools & Education
School quality and education data for all 56 counties.
Avg Graduation Rate
83.7%
Avg Per-Pupil Spending
$9,334
Avg School Score
55/100
Total Schools
826
398 districts
State Overview
About Schools in Montana
Montana’s Graduation Rates Trail National Averages
Montana reports an average graduation rate of 83.7%, falling below the national benchmark of 87.0%. The state spends $9,334 per pupil, which is significantly lower than the $13,000 national average. Despite this funding gap, Montana's average school score of 53.7 remains above the national median of 50.0.
A Wide Gap in Geographic Performance
Across 52 reporting counties, school performance varies from a high score of 66.8 in Fallon County to a low of 28.5 in Prairie County. Graduation rates show similar volatility, peaking at 95.0% in several counties while dropping to 65.3% in Roosevelt County. This creates a landscape where a student's zip code heavily influences their statistical likelihood of success.
Stretching the Education Dollar
Montana achieves a 53.7 average school score while spending nearly $4,000 less per student than the national average. While Treasure County invests $14,412 per student, Gallatin County maintains operations on just $6,894. The state demonstrates a high return on investment by keeping scores above the national median despite these lower funding levels.
Montana’s High-Performing Education Leaders
Fallon, Phillips, and Toole counties represent the state's gold standard, all achieving 95.0% graduation rates. Fallon County leads the pack with a 66.8 school score, supported by a $11,932 per-pupil investment. These counties prove that maintaining spending around the $10,000 to $12,000 range can yield results far exceeding state and national averages.
Solid Performance with Significant Rural Variation
Montana is a strong state for education value, frequently outperforming national medians on a lean budget. Families should prioritize the eastern and northern counties like Fallon or Phillips for the highest graduation rates and school scores. While some rural districts show data gaps, the top-tier counties offer some of the most consistent outcomes in the region.
Top Performing School Counties
All Montana Counties
— = data pending from NCES pipeline.
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Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.