Now is the time to start a healthcare career in Montana per the latest annual report from the Montana Department of Labor, Health Science vocations as a group are among the state’s top growing medical field career groups. The state of Montana’s growing medical field industry is not one-of-a-kind, though, as a similar phenomenon is playing out across the country. The demand is great, and so is the necessity for new workers. In fact, the nationwide demand for medical workers is so high that the (2018 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey-JOLTS) states that as many as 50% of jobs are presently unfilled nationally.
A look at healthcare careers in Montana
The dramatic expansion of the healthcare industry in Montana plays a role in the 18% growth rate that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects for the nation by 2026. An aging adult population and growing number of insurable people are the major motivation for this rapid growth. It is because of this set of factors that men and women from all qualifications can now find employment opportunities in the industry.
The Best Healthcare Schools in Montana
| School Name / Website | Address | School Type | # of Students | # of Undergrads | Grad Rate | Transfer-Out Rate | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaniiih Nakoda College | 269 Blackfeet Avenue Agency, Harlem, Montana 59526 | 2-year, Public | 122 | 122 | 28% | 31% | $8,311 |
| Blackfeet Community College | 504 S.E. East Boundary, Browning, Montana 59417-0819 | 2-year, Private not-for-profit | 375 | 375 | 7% | NA | $7,230 |
| Carroll College | 1601 N Benton Ave, Helena, Montana 59625-0002 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 1362 | 1362 | 72% | NA | $26,636 |
| Chief Dull Knife College | 1 College Drive, Lame Deer, Montana 59043 | 2-year, Public | 186 | 186 | 34% | 7% | $5,809 |
| Dawson Community College | 300 College Dr, Glendive, Montana 59330 | 2-year, Public | 329 | 329 | 37% | 42% | $10,364 |
| Flathead Valley Community College | 777 Grandview Dr, Kalispell, Montana 59901 | 2-year, Public | 2307 | 2307 | 24% | 14% | $8,174 |
| Fort Peck Community College | 605 Indian Street, Poplar, Montana 59255-0398 | 2-year, Public | 358 | 358 | 8% | 4% | $3,573 |
| Great Falls College Montana State University | 2100 16th Ave S, Great Falls, Montana 59405 | 2-year, Public | 1691 | 1691 | 16% | 18% | $8,923 |
| Health Works Institute | 407 West Main Street, Bozeman, Montana 59715 | < 2-year, Private for-profit | 34 | 34 | 96% | 4% | $22,467 |
| Helena College University of Montana | 1115 N Roberts Street, Helena, Montana 59601 | 2-year, Public | 1422 | 1422 | 26% | 22% | $10,224 |
| Highlands College of Montana Tech | 25 Basin Creek Rd, Butte, Montana 59701 | 2-year, Public | 769 | 769 | 22% | 19% | $8,963 |
| Little Big Horn College | 8645 South Weaver Drive, Crow Agency, Montana 59022 | 2-year, Public | 243 | 243 | 2% | NA | $5,661 |
| Miles Community College | 2715 Dickinson Street, Miles City, Montana 59301-4774 | 2-year, Public | 459 | 459 | 44% | 19% | $8,599 |
| Montana Academy of Salons | 501 2nd St S, Great Falls, Montana 59405 | 2-year, Private for-profit | 82 | 82 | 67% | NA | $11,394 |
| Montana State University | Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717 | 4-year, Public | 16613 | 14652 | 54% | NA | $15,411 |
| Montana State University Billings | 1500 University Drive, Billings, Montana 59101-0298 | 4-year, Public | 4401 | 4021 | 27% | 24% | $12,503 |
| Montana State University-Northern | 300 W 11th St, Havre, Montana 59501 | 4-year, Public | 1236 | 1163 | 33% | 12% | $10,217 |
| Montana Technological University | 1300 W Park St, Butte, Montana 59701-8997 | 4-year, Public | 1909 | 1659 | 41% | 31% | $12,104 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Dillon | 434 E. Poindexter Street, Dillon, Montana 59725-3581 | 2-year, Private for-profit | 37 | 37 | NA | NA | $16,266 |
| Rocky Mountain College | 1511 Poly Drive, Billings, Montana 59102-1796 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 991 | 898 | 52% | NA | $20,276 |
| Salish Kootenai College | 58138 US Highway 93, Pablo, Montana 59855 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private not-for-profit | 809 | 809 | 55% | NA | $8,686 |
| Stone Child College | 8294 Upper Box Elder Road, Box Elder, Montana 59521-9796 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Public | 554 | 554 | 29% | 6% | $10,085 |
| The University of Montana | Missoula, Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812 | 4-year, Public | 11865 | 9323 | 46% | NA | $13,682 |
| University of Providence | 1301 Twentieth St S, Great Falls, Montana 59405-4996 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 1066 | 930 | 45% | 37% | $19,367 |
Montana Healthcare entry-level roles
Whereas many people view physicians and other professional-level occupations as typical medical field workers, the truth is that most of the individuals working in the field work in either nursing or Healthcare Support Occupations (13,190 in Montana). These working people earn an annual median wage of $29,430, which ranks them close to the top of those positions that do not require a college education.
The section below highlights 10 popular healthcare occupations in Montana, as well as their education prerequisites, employment outlook, and median wages.
| Montana Healthcare Careers | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 190 | 36.71 | 76360 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics | 700 | 15.97 | 33220 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 1100 | 16.49 | 34290 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 2470 | 20.52 | 42690 |
| Medical Records and Health Information Technicians | 1210 | 18.40 | 38280 |
| Home Health Aides | 1420 | 12.05 | 25050 |
| Nursing Assistants | 6170 | 13.01 | 27070 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 160 | 22.32 | 46430 |
| Dental Assistants | 1340 | 17.81 | 37050 |
| Medical Assistants | 1300 | 15.95 | 33170 |
| Phlebotomists | 350 | 15.74 | 32730 |
How to find an entry-level allied health job in Montana
Regardless of the potential for getting an entry-level position with no prior professional training, virtually all organizations in Montana would prefer to employ people who hold some kind of certification. Therefore, it’s strongly recommended that anyone who is seriously considering a career in healthcare graduate from an accredited, formal training program.
Almost all of these programs can be finished in 24 months or less, and some can be finished in less than 12 months.
Getting the appropriate healthcare career training in Montana
To find local schools for some of Montana’s most-popular healthcare careers, click on any of the links below. You can additionally click the title of all of the shown vocations to find out about the best way to get started on that professional path.
- CNA programs in Montana
- Dental assistant classes in Montana
- EMT schools in Montana
- HHA school in Montana
- LPN classes in Montana
- Medical assistant courses in Montana
- Medical billing & coding training in Montana
- Pharmacy technician programs in Montana
- Phlebotomy classes in Montana
- Ultrasound technician courses in Montana
Looking for a healthcare job in Montana?
There are healthcare job opportunities all around the State of Montana. but the Billings is where the largest number of workers work in the industry. Somewhere around 2,310 medical field personnel are employed in and around Billings, which is the state’s highest concentration of industry professionals.
Montana’s best locations for locating a healthcare position are displayed below.
- Billings, MT
- Great Falls, MT
- Missoula, MT