Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs in Montana
Updated October 5, 2026
A master’s in criminal justice in Montana can prepare officers and investigators for leadership, research, or policy roles, though program length and requirements vary by school. The University of Providence in Great Falls is the institution most associated with an on-campus option, per federal education data, though its own program pages are inconsistent on whether the degree is currently offered. Confirm directly before applying. Accredited online programs also serve Montana residents.
Montana has close to 9,500 protective service workers across a state with roughly 1.1 million residents spread over 145,000 square miles, which means a sergeant in Havre and a patrol officer in Billings rarely answer to the same backup—and definitely not the same promotion ladder. If you’re already wearing a badge and considering graduate study, a master’s in criminal justice can strengthen your preparation for leadership, administrative, research, or policy work, though how much weight that carries depends on your agency. Here’s what the degree can involve, what the data actually show about pay, and where you can study in-state.
What a Master’s in Criminal Justice Can Prepare You For
Criminal justice is one of the more flexible graduate credentials in this field. It doesn’t train you for one specific job: depending on your agency, your experience, and how a given program is structured, it can support a move toward a corrections administrator’s post, a detective bureau supervisor role, or teaching at a community college.
In 2015, Montana’s state government ordered a review of the criminal justice system after the prison population grew 7% between 2008 and 2014 even as the overall crime rate fell (Missoulian, 2015; Billings Gazette, 2015). That review wasn’t the end of the story. Subsequent Montana justice-reinvestment work documented an 11% increase in the prison population between FY2008 and FY2016, along with rising corrections costs and capacity pressure (Montana Legislature). It’s the kind of structural strain that graduate-level criminal justice study is built to help diagnose. Departments and corrections agencies managing it need people who can read policy and data, not just enforce the law day to day.
Pay: What the Data Actually Show
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives earn a median $89,380 a year in Montana, per May 2025 BLS wage data, and Montana’s own 2024-34 projections show demand for the role growing 5.3%. Detectives and Criminal Investigators earn close behind at a median $92,410, though Montana’s detective headcount is projected to hold flat at 370 positions over the same period.
Zoom out, and the broader protective-service field in Montana, covering patrol, corrections, security, and investigations together, posts a median wage of $57,570, per the same May 2025 data. These figures show that supervisory and investigative occupations pay more than the protective-service field overall. They don’t measure the salary return attributable specifically to a master’s degree. BLS wages describe what occupations pay, not what credentials return.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives and Detectives and Criminal Investigators. Long-term (2024-34) job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, ProjectionsCentral. Figures reflect state-level data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed October 2026.
What Earning the Degree Can Involve
Programs vary by school, so treat any single curriculum as an example, not a rule. Expect graduate-level coursework in criminological theory, research methods, and procedural law. Depending on the program, students may complete a thesis, a capstone project, a comprehensive exam, or another culminating requirement. Confirm which option a given school actually offers before you enroll.
If you’re an actively employed Montana law enforcement officer holding valid Montana POST certification, the University of Providence offers a discounted $250-per-credit tuition rate for qualifying undergraduate and graduate programs, including criminal justice, through its Law Enforcement Tuition Incentive. Confirm current terms directly with the school, since tuition benefits change.
A master’s in criminal justice doesn’t replace Montana’s peace-officer certification process. Montana’s Public Safety Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council sets the state’s certification and training standards: you generally have to be hired by a Montana law-enforcement agency first, then complete the required training, including the Montana Law Enforcement Academy’s entry course, currently called the Law Enforcement Officer Basic (LEOB) Course. Other states run their own certifying bodies with their own rules, so don’t assume this structure carries over if you’re comparing Montana to a program elsewhere.
Typical graduate coursework includes:
- Criminological Theory: Why people commit crime, why others in the same conditions don’t, and how that research shapes policy decisions
- Seminar in Criminology: Current debates in the field, worked through in student-led discussion
- Inequality and Social Justice: How class and other structural factors produce unequal outcomes inside the justice system
Where to Study: Montana’s Criminal Justice Master’s Option
Per U.S. Department of Education data, one institution in Montana appears associated with a master’s-level criminal justice program:
| Institution | City | Control | Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Providence | Great Falls | Private nonprofit | Master’s in Criminal Justice |
School and program data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, institution file May 2025 and field-of-study file April 2025. Data accessed October 2026.
University of Providence’s own program pages are inconsistent on this point: one page markets criminal justice at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels, while the school’s broader program catalog lists criminal justice only through the bachelor’s. Confirm directly with the school’s admissions office whether the master’s is currently enrolling, and in what format, before you apply. If an on-campus Montana option doesn’t pan out, the accredited online programs featured above also enroll Montana residents.
Looking for a Criminal Justice Master’s Program in Another State?
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a bachelor’s in criminal justice to apply?
Admission requirements vary by program. University of Providence’s general graduate admissions process requires a completed, accredited bachelor’s degree, but not necessarily in criminal justice. Check exact requirements, including any prerequisite coursework, with any program you’re applying to directly.
What’s the difference between a thesis and a non-thesis track?
Depending on the program, students may complete a thesis, a capstone project, a comprehensive exam, or another culminating requirement. A thesis track has you design and defend original research, which matters most if you’re aiming at doctoral study or a policy-research role. Confirm which option a specific program actually offers before you enroll.
Will this degree get me promoted faster?
Not automatically. A master’s can strengthen your preparation for leadership, administrative, research, or policy roles, but promotion requirements, and how much weight a department gives graduate education, vary by agency and position. Many Montana postings combine education with specific years of experience, supervisory time, and POST certification, rather than treating a degree as a shortcut.
How long does the degree take to finish?
Program length varies by school and by whether you enroll full-time or part-time. Part-time completion time varies by program and course load, so get a specific timeline from any program you’re considering.
Key Takeaways
- Confirm before you apply – University of Providence’s own pages conflict on whether its criminal justice master’s is currently offered. Confirm directly with the school before counting on it.
- Requirements vary by school – Credit counts, thesis vs. non-thesis options, and timelines differ by program; don’t assume a single statewide standard.
- The pay figures describe jobs, not the degree – Montana’s supervisor ($89,380) and detective ($92,410) medians both clear the statewide protective-service median ($57,570), per May 2025 BLS data, but that’s what the occupations pay, not what a master’s alone returns.
- POST certification still comes first – A graduate degree doesn’t substitute for Montana’s peace officer certification process, which runs through your hiring agency and the Montana Law Enforcement Academy.
If cost is what’s holding you back, check whether your department offers tuition assistance, like the discounted rate above, before you assume loans are your only option.
Want the bigger picture? Read the full guide to Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.