


Carroll College is a private Catholic college in Helena, Montana, founded in 1909 by Bishop John Patrick Carroll. It began as Mount St. Charles College and later took the Carroll name, a change that reflects its connection to the bishop who established it.
The college's early purpose was to provide higher education in Montana within a Catholic tradition. It has since developed a broader undergraduate curriculum that includes liberal arts, sciences, business, education, engineering, and health-related fields. Its history remains visible in its Catholic identity, but applicants should evaluate the present-day programs and requirements for the particular major they want to pursue.
Carroll College organizes its academics around undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences alongside professional and preprofessional study. Its program offerings include biology, psychology, business, education, engineering, and nursing, as well as humanities and social-science subjects.
For applicants, the distinction between a major and a professional pathway matters. A biology or health-sciences degree, for example, is not itself a license to practice a health profession; nursing and teacher-preparation students must also account for program requirements and applicable licensing rules. Engineering applicants should check the accreditation and curriculum of the specific engineering program they intend to enter rather than assume every engineering-related course of study has the same status.
Carroll's reported student-to-faculty ratio is 12 to 1. That institution-wide measure describes scale, not the size of every class or access to a particular course. Students comparing majors can get a more useful picture by examining course schedules, laboratory requirements, clinical placements, and the sequence of classes needed to graduate.
Carroll College's campus is in Helena, Montana's capital city. Students have access to a state-government center and a small-city setting rather than a large metropolitan campus.
That location may be relevant to students interested in public service, policy, health care, or local internships, although opportunities depend on openings and individual qualifications. Helena Regional Airport is the nearest airport. Students traveling from farther away should account for flight connections and ground transportation; first-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus, but parking rules and costs should be checked before arrival.
Carroll College identifies itself as a Catholic college with a liberal-arts educational mission. Its stated approach connects intellectual development with ethical reflection, service, and attention to the whole person.
That religious identity is part of the institution's educational philosophy, not a substitute for examining an individual program. Prospective students can look at the current catalog's general-education and theology or philosophy requirements to understand how the mission affects their coursework. The college's stated values describe what it aims to provide; they do not, by themselves, establish a particular student outcome.
Name of the institution
Carroll CollegeLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: SmallInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999Religious affiliation
Catholic (Roman Catholic Church)School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1909Carroll College is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Certificate of less than 1 year
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degreeData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.