Quick answer: Montana employs about 500 detectives and criminal investigators (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through the hiring agency on its education and academy requirements. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Compare criminology programs enrolling now:
Licensing and Credentials in Montana
Criminology itself is not licensed. Sworn investigative roles run through a law enforcement academy and agency hiring process, which the degree does not replace; analyst roles in agencies and research settings weight the methods and statistics coursework.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with the hiring agency on its education and academy requirements that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 1 school
within 164 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
1 of them carries a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
What Detectives and Criminal Investigators Earn in Montana
Detectives and Criminal Investigators in Montana earn a median $92,410 per year, below the national median of $93,790 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Criminology Pay and Employment in Montana at a Glance
Metric
Montana
National
Source
Median annual wage
$92,410
$93,790
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$58,670
$55,390
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$71,160
$69,330
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$109,300
$120,520
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$144,000
$160,540
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
500
114,430
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.32
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
-0.7%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Montana Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Montana median of $92,410 sits below the national median of $93,790 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.32 puts Montana well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Where the Jobs Are in Montana
Metro area
Median annual wage
Employment
Great Falls
$136,120
40
Missoula
$99,560
40
Helena
$73,950
70
Billings
$72,880
70
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Investigative and analyst employment tracks agency size, so state capitals and large metros with federal field offices carry most of the roles.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators Wages by Metro Area in Montana
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), detectives and criminal investigators wages in Montana vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Billings
70
$72,880
$93,800
$58,010
$149,280
Helena
70
$73,950
$87,380
$58,670
$149,280
Great Falls
40
$136,120
$121,670
$67,200
$167,110
Missoula
40
$99,560
$108,410
$62,420
$158,060
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Montana?
The median annual wage for detectives and criminal investigators in Montana is $92,410, below the national median of $93,790 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $71,160 at the 25th percentile to $109,300 at the 75th.
How many detectives and criminal investigators work in Montana?
Montana holds about 500 criminal investigator jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 114,430, and BLS projects about 7,800 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a criminal investigator in Montana?
Criminology itself is not licensed. Sworn investigative roles run through a law enforcement academy and agency hiring process, which the degree does not replace; analyst roles in agencies and research settings weight the methods and statistics coursework. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with the hiring agency on its education and academy requirements before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a criminology bachelor's or master's online while working in Montana?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies the hiring agency on its education and academy requirements.
What is the highest-paying area of Montana for detectives and criminal investigators?
Among Montana metro areas with published data, Great Falls reports the highest median at $136,120 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Montana a good state for detectives and criminal investigators?
On pay, the state median of $92,410 sits below the national $93,790 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.32 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Detectives and Criminal Investigators (SOC 33-3021), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
