Montana has no bachelor's game design programs, and no game-related programs at any level. The closest game design schools near Montana are in Idaho, which has one ranked program: Boise State University, 405 miles from Billings. Montana students can also use the Western Undergraduate Exchange. Below you'll find pay, costs and how to choose.
Kevin ToFounder & EditorB.S. in Computer Science, Temple UniversityUpdated
0Game Design Bachelor's in Montanagame design, game programming or simulationIPEDS
1Ranked Programs in Nearby StatesIDOur ranking
405 miTo the Closest Program From Billingsstraight-line distanceOur analysis
Top nearby pick: Boise State University.Montana has no bachelor's game design program, so these are across the border. It scores 75.4. Boise State University is in Idaho, with a $19,037 net price and 57% completion.Nearby Schools ›
Closest fit at home: Montana State University.It graduates bachelor's students in computer science. It awarded 99 bachelor's degrees in 2023-24, as a related program outside the game design ranking. The University of Montana is another option at home.Related Programs ›
Software developers earn $121,990 here.The U.S. median for the same job is $135,980. About 2,160 people work as software developers in Montana. In Montana, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $77,030, which is 26% under the national median of $104,000. Living costs work in your favor in Montana: BEA puts prices 5.4% below the U.S. average, so a paycheck or a student budget goes further.Pay ›
Public in-state tuition averages $4,747.The MUS Honor Scholarship is Montana's main state grant. Aided in-state students pay $13,262 on average across 9 public four-year colleges, about what the median state charges. Out of state, tuition averages $16,688.Costs ›
Heads up Montana belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which can cut nonresident tuition at public schools in member states.
No program in Montana
Game Design Schools Near Montana for 2027
Idaho holds the only bordering program. Boise State University, in Boise, is the closest to Billings at 405 miles, and it is the one to price out first. It is public, so the Western Undergraduate Exchange may apply, and Montana's own price level of 94.6 means a student at home spends less on rent than most of the country. North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming have no game bachelor's programs either, so the map is thin in every direction.
It is public and a game design program, scoring 75.4 with 41 graduates a year, a 57% completion rate and a net price of $19,037. Montana belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange, and Idaho is the member with public game programs nearby, so Boise State University is the one to check.
Ranked by this site's score. Miles are straight-line distance from Billings (Census Vintage 2024 largest city) to each campus (IPEDS coordinates). Completion and net price are school-wide IPEDS figures.
Boise, ID · Public · Game design program · 405 miles
75.4
#15 of 89 nationally
405 miles from Billings
Public
Billings is about 405 miles from Boise, so a Montana student heading to Boise State should expect a long day of driving. The Bachelor of Science in Games, Interactive Media, and Mobile is offered at a public university in a city setting, and Montana students pay the out-of-state rate of $24,859 in published tuition.
Idaho residents pay $6,119, which makes the premium $18,740 a year. Aid helps: school-wide, aided first-years pay a net price of $19,037. The university admits 87% of applicants, and 57% of students complete a degree within eight years. About 41 students graduate from the game program annually. The school-wide cost of attendance is $31,191, and the campus enrolls 27,198 students, so Montana students find a large public university.
These are not game design degrees. Montana has no bachelor's in game design, game programming or simulation, but these programs in the state teach skills game studios hire for: programming in computer science and software, art and animation in the art programs. They're a way to stay in state and build toward game work.
Similar Bachelor's Programs in Montana
Bachelor's first majors reported to IPEDS (C2024_A) in computer science, software, animation, digital media and graphic design fields: the 5 most relevant to game work of 7 in Montana, computer science and software first, then digital media and animation, then graphic design, with graduates in 2023-24.
Montana State University
Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Computer Science
Montana's pay runs below the national median, while the job pool for games is small. Developers of software, the bucket for game programmers, have a state median of $121,990, behind the national median by $13,990, with 2,160 employed. Interface designers, where BLS places game and UI design, earn $77,030, or $26,970 below, with only 100 employed.
Graphic designersWhere many art and UI graduates start
$56,890
$43,640–$70,980$44k–$71k$43,640 to $70,980
610
$62,960
Computer programmersProgramming roles outside software development
$89,920May 2025
$72,420–$100,590$72k–$101k$72,420 to $100,590, May 2025May 2025
450May 2024
$100,390
Art directorsSenior art leads; rarely a first job
$73,850
$51,030–$83,920$51k–$84k$51,030 to $83,920
100
$114,850
BLS doesn't publish special effects artists and animators pay for Montana. Nationally, the median is $102,030. See animator salary › Annual wages, BLS OEWS May 2025. The middle half earns between the 25th and 75th percentile. Figures tagged May 2024 are from that earlier BLS release, because BLS didn't publish one for Montana in the current release.
Pay in Montana's Largest Metro Areas
Metro area
Software developers
Web and digital interface designers
Price level
Billings
$100,440
$100,570May 2023
93.5
Bozeman
$126,110
Not published
102.5
Missoula
$96,210May 2024
Not published
96.4
Median annual wages, BLS OEWS May 2025, for the state's largest metropolitan areas by total employment, all in Montana. Price level is BEA's Regional Price Parity for 2024, where the U.S. average is 100. Figures tagged May 2024 or May 2023 are from that earlier BLS release, because BLS didn't publish one for that metro area in the current release. A cell marked with a dash means BLS (or BEA, for price level) didn't publish a figure for that metro area, usually because too few employers reported.
BLS publishes no figure for special effects artists and animators in Montana, so don't plan on a local animation career. Graphic designers earn $56,890 with 610 employed. Art directors earn $73,850, a drop of $41,000 from the national median. Computer programmers earn $89,920, $10,470 below. Entry roles usually mean QA, junior design, art and UI work, or junior programming, and many will be remote.
Bozeman is the best-paying metro with a published figure, with software developers at $126,110. Billings pays software developers $100,440, and BLS publishes no software developer figure for Missoula, where graphic designers earn $61,930. Bozeman's graphic designers earn $58,200.
Prices help a little. Montana prices run about 5.4% under the national average, a state price level of 94.6. Billings is at 93.5 and Missoula at 96.4, but Bozeman is at 102.5, so the best-paying town is also the priciest.
About 2,160 people work as software developers in Montana. In Montana, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $77,030, which is 26% under the national median of $104,000. Living costs work in your favor in Montana: BEA puts prices 5.4% below the U.S. average, so a paycheck or a student budget goes further.
The game design salary pages explain what each occupation covers and how game studios fit inside it.
Cost in Montana
Paying for School in Montana
Montana's public four-year colleges are among the cheapest in this set. The state has 9 of them, where residents pay $4,747 in tuition on average and nonresidents pay $16,688, a premium of $11,941. Net price after aid for in-state students runs $13,262 on average. Montana has no game programs, so there are no game-school tuition averages to report.
Public colleges in MT
Figure
Public four-year colleges
9
Average in-state tuition
$4,747
Average out-of-state tuition
$16,688
Average net price, aided in-state students
$13,262
Means across Montana's public four-year degree-granting colleges that offer undergraduate study: tuition from IPEDS for 2023-24 (9 colleges reporting), net price for 2022-23 (9 reporting). Net price is what first-year students with grant aid paid after grants.
Aided in-state students pay $13,262 on average across 9 public four-year colleges, about what the median state charges.
The Western Undergraduate Exchange is the main cost lever for a game degree out of state. Idaho is the member with public game programs nearby, which points to Boise State University. Confirm the rate and eligibility for your program before applying, because exchange terms vary by school.
Montana has no game programs of its own, so every route means leaving the state or studying online. Out-of-state tuition at Montana's public colleges averages $16,688 against $4,747 for residents, which shows how much a residency discount is worth. See what a Montana resident would pay at Boise State University through the exchange before you rule it out.
State Aid in Montana
Montana's main merit program for undergraduates is the MUS Honor Scholarship, run by the Montana University System. In its own words: "The MUS Honor Scholarship (MUSHS) is a 4-year renewable scholarship, which waives the recipient’s tuition when used at an eligible campus." Fill out the FAFSA early, since many state programs award money until it runs out.
Tuition Exchanges
Montana belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE). In the program's own words, "WUE enables eligible students to enroll as nonresidents in 170 participating public colleges and universities and pay 150% (or less) of the enrolling institution’s resident tuition."
How to Choose a Game Design Program If You Live in Montana
The choice is between one public campus and an online degree. Boise State University costs $19,037 net and is a general public university, so visit before you commit. An online degree such as the one from Wilmington University, at $14,267 net, keeps you closer to home and lets you keep earning in a state where prices run about 5.4% below the national average.
A good first step is a campus visit. Boise State University is a long day's drive from Billings rather than a short trip. Plan for the cost of travel home as well as tuition, and look at whether the Western Undergraduate Exchange lowers Boise State University's price enough to matter.
If moving isn't possible, an online degree keeps you in Montana. North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming have no game bachelor's programs, so Idaho is the only neighbor with options. Compare the online net prices below with Boise State University before choosing.
Neighboring States
Neighboring stateIdaho1 ranked game bachelor's · 2 programs in allView the Idaho guide ›
Neighboring stateNorth DakotaNo programs; the guide lists the nearestView the North Dakota guide ›
Neighboring stateSouth Dakota1 related programs, no game bachelor'sView the South Dakota guide ›
Neighboring stateWyomingNo programs; the guide lists the nearestView the Wyoming guide ›
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Montana Offer Game Design Degrees?
Montana has no bachelor's game design program in the federal data, so the closest ranked options are in neighboring states. Boise State University in Idaho scores highest at 75.4, 405 miles from Billings, with 57% completion and a $19,037 net price. Montana belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which can cut nonresident tuition at public colleges in member states, though each college picks which programs take part. See the nearby programs, ranked.
How Do Game Developer Wages Look in Montana?
Software developers, the BLS occupation that counts game programmers, earn a median of $121,990 in Montana, against $135,980 nationally (BLS May 2025). In Montana, web and digital interface designers, where bls counts game designers, earn $77,030, which is 26% under the national median of $104,000. Living costs work in your favor in Montana: BEA puts prices 5.4% below the U.S. average, so a paycheck or a student budget goes further. About 2,160 people work as software developers in Montana. See what game jobs pay in Montana.
Which School Near Montana Is Cheapest for Game Design?
The lowest-priced ranked option for Montana students is Boise State University in Idaho, at an average net price of $19,037 a year for aided first-year students. The catch is completion: 57% of its students finish, under the 59% median, and a program you don't finish costs more than its sticker. Public in-state tuition in Montana averages $4,747, if a related program at home fits. See paying for school in Montana.
Can Montana Students Get a Tuition Break in Idaho?
Yes, through the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): Montana is a member, and in the exchange's own words, "WUE enables eligible students to enroll as nonresidents in 170 participating public colleges and universities and pay 150% (or less) of the enrolling institution’s resident tuition." Each college decides which programs and how many seats take part, so check the specific game program before you count on a discount. For comparison, out-of-state tuition at Montana's own public colleges averages $16,688 against $4,747 in state. See paying for school in Montana.
How Much More Do Out-of-State Students Pay in Montana?
Out-of-state students pay about $11,941 more a year in tuition at Montana's public four-year colleges, where in-state tuition averages $4,747 against $16,688 for nonresidents (IPEDS 2023-24). After grants, aided in-state students pay an average net price of $13,262. Montana belongs to the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which can cut nonresident tuition at public colleges in member states, though each college picks which programs take part. See paying for school in Montana.
2NCES, IPEDS Outcome Measures 2023 The completion factor: the share of all entering students, full-time, part-time and transfer, who earned an award within eight years. School-wide.
