Criminal justice programs in Montana

2 criminal justice programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

2 schools offer these criminal justice programs, and Montana has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Police officers protect lives and property, and detectives gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes. The education needed ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree, and new officers usually attend a training academy before they start.¹

In Montana, both programs take students without a high school diploma.

Both are the same kind of program: criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree).

See the 2 programs

How much do criminal justice programs cost in Montana?

$17,550 to $31,040

from the lowest-priced program to the highest, if you pay yourself

These two programs

Finished the program: 100%
Working 6 months later: 75%
Earned a year, estimated: about $40,300
Length: 60 to 120 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Montana may also offer criminal justice programs. How these figures are made

Are there free criminal justice programs in Montana?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴For a degree, the job center first looks at grants such as a federal Pell Grant; WIOA pays toward what they don't cover.⁴
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. These programs cost $17,550 to $31,040.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 2 criminal justice programs in Montana approved for WIOA funding

2 programs

Criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree)HybridNo diploma needed
Criminal Justice Degree
Msu - Northern
Havre
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Msu - Northern, HavreCriminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$40,300
Price if you pay yourself$31,040
Program website, Criminal Justice Degree at Msu - Northern
More details about Criminal Justice Degree at Msu - Northern
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
75%
Earned in a quarter
$10,063
Length
120 weeks, 50 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
11
Earned a year, estimated
$40,300
Price if you pay yourself
$31,040
Program website, Criminal Justice Degree at Msu - Northern
Criminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree)HybridNo diploma needed
AAS Criminal Justice
Dawson Community College
Glendive
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Dawson Community College, GlendiveCriminal justice, corrections or police science (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$17,550
Program website, AAS Criminal Justice at Dawson Community College
More details about AAS Criminal Justice at Dawson Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
60 weeks, 50 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$17,550
Program website, AAS Criminal Justice at Dawson Community College

How to pay for criminal justice programs in Montana

WIOA funding can pay for criminal justice programs in Montana

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for criminal justice programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for criminal justice programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Other training in Montana

How criminal justice programs compare with the rest of public safety: First responder training in Montana

Where the Montana criminal justice program numbers come from

Which Montana criminal justice programs are on this list?

These are the criminal justice programs Montana approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Montana offers.

How the prices and results of Montana criminal justice programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about criminal justice programs in Montana

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources

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