Trade school programs in Montana
29 trade school programs in 16 fields of skilled trades, with costs, results and funding that can make them free
13 schools offer these programs, and Montana has approved every one for workforce funding. Compare the 16 fields below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.
Trade school programs teach hands-on work with tools, machines and building systems. That runs from building work like carpentry, plumbing and electrical, through repairing cars, diesel trucks, heating and cooling systems and factory machinery, to welding, sheet metal, masonry, auto body repair, CNC machining, manufacturing and electronics work, solar and wind installation, water treatment, workplace safety, running heavy equipment and cranes, and inspecting homes. Most are certificates; some are two-year degrees or apprenticeships.
All job training programs in Montana, every line of work
Accredited trade schools in Montana, each school with its accreditor
Trade school programs by state, to compare Montana with other states
Compare trade school programs in Montana: cost, pay and results
Welding classes
7 programs at 4 schools
- Most cost
- $6,436 to $11,169
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
Construction training programs
4 programs at 3 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Electrician training
3 programs at 2 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Diesel mechanic training
3 programs at 2 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
HVAC training (heating and cooling)
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Auto mechanic classes
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Plumbing school
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not reported
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
CNC machinist training
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not reported
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Heavy equipment operator training
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Industrial maintenance technician training
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
AutoCAD and drafting courses (computer-aided design)
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Crane operator training
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Auto body repair classes
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Solar and wind technician training
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Water treatment operator training (water and wastewater)
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
OSHA safety training (workplace safety)
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not reported
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Each figure is the middle program of that field. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools in Montana may offer more. How these figures are made
Other job training in Montana, by line of work
- Medical certification programs32
- Business and office training24
- Allied health programs18
- IT certification programs15
- Nursing and patient care programs12
- Child care and social services training8
- Beauty school7
- First responder training5
- All job training in Montana166
Programs approved in Montana in each line of work.
Where the Montana trade school numbers come from
Which Montana programs are counted?
Programs Montana approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) in the fields listed above. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).5 They come from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Montana offers.
What the figures for each field mean
Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).
Sources for the funding facts about trade school programs in Montana
Show the 5 sourcesHide the sources
- US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
- US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
- Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
- US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
- US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List