Salish Kootenai College
Pablo, Montana · Public
ROI Score: 18/100 · Poor Value
Salish Kootenai College is a tribal college on the Flathead Reservation in Pablo, Montana, and its ROI score of 18 (Poor Value tier) reflects the structural economic challenges facing reservation-based education rather than a quality failure of the institution. In-state tuition is genuinely affordable at $4,311, and net price averages $7,945 -- among the lowest in our database. But median earnings six years after entry are only $23,200, climbing to just $32,725 by year ten, which sits below the typical earnings of a high-school-only worker nationally and produces a small negative earnings premium of -0.07. The 999-year payback period in the data is a placeholder meaning earnings effectively never recoup the (already low) cost in standard models -- a function of suppressed wage levels in the surrounding Lake County labor market, not high debt. Median debt is modest at $12,923 and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 is actually one of the better marks on this profile. The completion rate of 28% and the 57% three-year repayment rate are the bigger drags. Salish Kootenai's value proposition is cultural and community-based, not earnings-driven, and prospective students should evaluate it on those terms.
The data raises concerns about Salish Kootenai College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score18/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate27.6% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Salish Kootenai College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $4,311/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $11,583/yr |
| Average net price | $7,945/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $31,780 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $32,725 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $23,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $12,923 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $137 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 27.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 580 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Salish Kootenai College is $4,311/year ($11,583/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $7,945/year, or roughly $31,780 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $6,999/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $12,923 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $137 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $32,725 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.56 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $6,999 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,221 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $8,502 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $11,883 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $6,999 net -- among the lowest net prices in the country, and the price tier where Salish Kootenai's mission lands cleanly. Pell, BIA tribal aid, and institutional grants combine to make the four-year cost roughly $28,000. Even with the school's low post-graduation earnings, this price point keeps debt manageable for students who finish.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket actually pays MORE ($9,221) than the lowest-income tier -- a slight bracket inversion worth flagging. The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $8,502. Across the middle range, four-year cost is roughly $34,000-$37,000. Workable on paper, but with median earnings barely cracking $32,000 ten years out, the math only pencils for students staying in regional/reservation employment.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $11,883, and the $110,001-plus bracket has no reported data, likely because almost no students at that income level enroll. Higher-income families looking at Salish Kootenai are typically choosing it for cultural fit rather than economic optimization -- and at $11,883 net, the price is still low, but earnings outcomes still constrain the ROI calculation.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Salish Kootenai College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $39,583 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is the only program with reported earnings here -- 3 graduates per cohort produce a four-year median of $39,583, which aligns with rural Montana K-12 starting pay. Debt and ROI grade are not reported. The mission case is real: tribal-language and reservation-school teachers are a critical pipeline for Indian education, and the program supplies that pipeline at low net price. Just understand the earnings ceiling is bounded by Montana teacher salary scales.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 50.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 56.9% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 40.3% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 40.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 580 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 57.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,893 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and SAT/ACT mid-ranges are also unavailable -- typical for a tribal college that operates as a community-rooted open-admission institution serving Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal members and surrounding rural Montana students. Selectivity here is essentially non-applicable; the relevant question is academic preparation entering, which correlates strongly with the 28% completion rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The peer set frames this honestly. Montana State University Billings and Montana Technological University are the closest geographic comparisons but operate at much larger scales with stronger STEM and engineering outcomes. Bluefield State University and Cheyney University of Pennsylvania -- like Salish Kootenai -- are minority-serving institutions with comparable Pell rates and similarly compressed earnings outcomes. The University of Tennessee Southern is another small rural public. Across this peer set, Salish Kootenai's tuition is the lowest, but earnings outcomes are also the lowest, and the ROI scores cluster in the same Poor Value band.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salish Kootenai College (this school) | 18 | $7,945 | $32,725 |
| Montana Technological University | 69 | $16,481 | $54,329 |
| Montana State University Billings | 34 | $16,524 | $44,296 |
| Bluefield State University | 20 | $13,684 | $38,217 |
| The University of Tennessee Southern | 16 | $12,798 | $38,924 |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 11 | $14,265 | $37,837 |
Who Thrives Here
With 580 students and a 58% Pell rate, Salish Kootenai serves a deeply low-income, predominantly Native student population for whom the school's mission is to provide culturally affirming education close to home. The fit profile is specific: students who value tribal college community and cultural programming, who plan to live and work on or near the Flathead Reservation, and who are using education for community impact rather than maximizing earnings premium. Teacher Education ($39,583 four-year median) is the program with reported earnings, fitting students aiming at K-12 roles in reservation schools.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Salish Kootenai College. With a net cost of $7,945 per year and median graduate earnings of only $32,725 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 27.6% graduation rate and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $12,923 against $32,725 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.