Salish Kootenai College
Pablo, MT 59855
About Salish Kootenai College
Salish Kootenai College is a public community college in Pablo, Montana, enrolling about 580 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $7,945 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $4,311. Student demographics in federal data include American Indian or Alaska Native (69.7%) and White (20.2%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Salish Kootenai College charges 22% below the national public median tuition ($4,311).
- Versus the Montana median, sticker tuition is 13% below.
- Average net price runs below the Montana median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 27.62%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $32,725.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Salish Kootenai College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 930% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salish Kootenai College | $4,311 | $7,945 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Montana (state median) | $4,961 | $12,030 | 24 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Salish Kootenai College really?
Key findings
- Salish Kootenai College charges 22% below the national public median tuition ($4,311).
- Versus the Montana median, sticker tuition is 13% below.
- Average net price runs below the Montana median net price.
Salish Kootenai College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $4,311
Finding Salish Kootenai College charges 22% below the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $4,311. That is 22% below the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Montana median ($4,961), sticker tuition is 13% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.4×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Salish Kootenai College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Salish Kootenai College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Salish Kootenai College is $7,945.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $7,945 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $4,086 below the Montana median net price.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Salish Kootenai College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Salish Kootenai College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Salish Kootenai College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$4,311
Out-of-state tuition
$11,583
Avg. net price
$7,945
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $6,999 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $9,221 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $8,502 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $11,883 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $17,244. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Salish Kootenai College is known for
Top program completions
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse21
- Curriculum and Instruction18
- Psychology, General13
- Philosophy, Politics, and Economics12
- Elementary Education and Teaching12
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Salish Kootenai College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Salish Kootenai College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Salish Kootenai College.
Campus
Location
Pablo, MT
City / state
- ZIP
- 59855
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Rocky Mountains
- Carnegie
- Not classified (other)
Size
Enrollment
580
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 826
- Graduate
- 35
- Full-time share
- 80%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$12,923
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 57.55%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Salish Kootenai College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Salish Kootenai College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Salish Kootenai College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $4,191 | $11,463 | $11,664 |
| 2014 | $4,191 | $11,463 | $10,564 |
| 2015 | $4,191 | $11,463 | $7,700 |
| 2016 | $4,191 | $11,490 | $8,686 |
| 2017 | $4,311 | $11,583 | $8,687 |
| 2018 | $4,220 | $11,584 | $7,274 |
| 2019 | $4,311 | $11,583 | $6,113 |
| 2020 | $4,311 | $11,583 | $5,525 |
| 2021 | $4,311 | $11,583 | $6,890 |
| 2022 | $4,311 | $11,583 | $6,527 |
| 2023 | $4,311 | $11,583 | $9,002 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Salish Kootenai College reported total enrollment of about 580 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 32% male and 68% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes American Indian or Alaska Native (69.7%), White (20.2%), and Hispanic or Latino (7.8%). About 57.55% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 44.6% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
80.3% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Salish Kootenai College in 2024 is 580 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 826 students. Graduate enrollment is about 35 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
82.3%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
1.79% 100% Completion Time
27.62% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 1.79% of students graduating from Salish Kootenai College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 5% male / 95% female
- Curriculum and Instruction: 22% male / 78% female
- Psychology, General: 31% male / 69% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Salish Kootenai College graduates earn a median of $32,725 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Salish Kootenai College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $32,725. Median federal loan debt: $12,923. Average net price used in cost models: $7,945.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Salish Kootenai College graduates report median earnings of $32,725 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Salish Kootenai College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (28 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Salish Kootenai College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Salish Kootenai College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Salish Kootenai College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$17.9M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Montana median 2.3× the median ($7.6M)
- Rocky Mountains median 0.92× the median ($19.5M)
- U.S. median 0.68× the median ($26.4M)
- Montana median 2.4× the median ($13,979)
- Rocky Mountains median 3.3× the median ($10,274)
- U.S. median 2.8× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 57.0%
- Montana median 12.6 pp below median (69.6%)
- Rocky Mountains median 16.3 pp below median (73.3%)
- U.S. median 0.9 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $5,893
- Montana median 0.90× the median ($6,543)
- Rocky Mountains median 0.79× the median ($7,458)
- U.S. median 0.77× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $20,164
- Montana median 2.1× the median ($9,613)
- Rocky Mountains median 2.9× the median ($6,852)
- U.S. median 2.8× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Salish Kootenai College at a glance
Salish Kootenai College
Salish Kootenai College is a public institution in Pablo, MT, classified as Not classified (other).
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Registered Nursing/Registered NurseCurriculum and InstructionPsychology, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- American Indian or Alaska Native69.7%White or Caucasian20.2%Hispanic or Latino7.8%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near Salish Kootenai College
Other campuses in Pablo, MT when available, plus nearby institutions in Montana.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Montana, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Salish Kootenai College located?
Salish Kootenai College is located in Pablo, MT.
What is Salish Kootenai College's tuition?
Salish Kootenai College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $4,311 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $7,945 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Salish Kootenai College cost?
Reported tuition is $4,311 and average net price is $7,945 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $7,020 annually.
What explains Salish Kootenai College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($7,945), completion (27.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($32,725). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Salish Kootenai College?
Salish Kootenai College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 826 students, American Indian or Alaska Native (69.7%), White (20.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Salish Kootenai College?
About 44.6% of students at Salish Kootenai College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Salish Kootenai College earn?
Median earnings are $28,894 six years after entry and $32,725 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Salish Kootenai College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 27.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Salish Kootenai College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $12,923.
Is Salish Kootenai College public or private?
Salish Kootenai College is a public institution located in Pablo, MT.
Is Salish Kootenai College an HBCU?
No. Salish Kootenai College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Salish Kootenai College a tribal college?
Yes. Salish Kootenai College is flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS (TRIBAL = Yes).
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.