Glendive offers a community-focused school system serving roughly 1,000 students in Dawson County, in eastern Montana along the Yellowstone River at 2,064 feet elevation. The Glendive Public Schools district delivers strong academics with a 89% graduation rate and — per-pupil spending. What sets Glendive apart from most small Montana towns is Dawson Community College — a two-year public college right in town, providing associate degrees and workforce training without requiring students to relocate. With Makoshika State Park's badlands, dinosaur fossils, and the Yellowstone River as outdoor classrooms, students grow up with place-based educational experiences rooted in eastern Montana's landscape. For the full town profile, see our Glendive guide.
At a Glance
K-12 Public Schools
The Glendive Public Schools district operates schools serving a community of 4,873 people in the heart of Dawson County. The district enrolls approximately 1,000 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades. Dawson County High School — home of the Red Devils — is a focal point of community life, with athletics, rodeo, and FFA programs reflecting eastern Montana's ranching culture. The district's 89% graduation rate reflects the community's investment in education. With class sizes this small, teachers know students well and can provide individualized attention that larger districts cannot match. The trade-off is that course offerings and elective variety are more limited than in Billings or Bozeman — but what Glendive lacks in breadth, it compensates with depth of mentorship and community support.
Dawson Community College
Glendive's most distinctive educational asset is Dawson Community College — a two-year public college right in town. This is rare for a Montana community of 4,873people. Dawson CC offers associate degrees and certificates in agriculture, business, health sciences, trades, and general transfer programs. Students can earn a two-year degree locally and transfer to a four-year university, or complete workforce training and enter the job market directly. For families, this means high school graduates have a post-secondary option without the cost and upheaval of relocating to Billings or Bozeman. Dawson CC also serves the broader community through continuing education, workforce development partnerships with local employers, and dual-enrollment programs for high school students.
Outdoor and Place-Based Education
Glendive's location in eastern Montana provides distinctive outdoor education opportunities unlike anywhere else in the state. Makoshika State Park — Montana's largest state park at over 11,500 acres — sits at the edge of town, offering a living laboratory for geology, paleontology, and ecology. Dinosaur fossils including Triceratops and T. rex have been found in the local Hell Creek Formation, making paleontology a tangible subject rather than an abstract one. The Yellowstone River flows through town, supporting studies in river ecology, fisheries, and the annual paddlefish migration.
The badlands formations at Makoshika reveal millions of years of geologic history in exposed strata — earth science lessons written in stone. Wildlife biology, ecology, and conservation are not abstract concepts here — they are the landscape students see every day. Eastern Montana's prairie ecosystems, ranch heritage, and paleontological significance create a natural curriculum for environmental science and biology that enriches classroom learning in ways urban and suburban districts cannot replicate.
Higher Education Access
Dawson Community College, right in Glendive, is the primary post-secondary option — offering associate degrees, certificates, and workforce training in agriculture, business, health sciences, and trades. For four-year programs, MSU Billings is approximately 220 miles west, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, education, health sciences, and liberal arts. Miles Community College in Miles City, 80 miles west, provides another two-year option. The Montana Digital Academy provides accredited online courses for students seeking coursework not available locally.
Nearby Universities
Dawson Community College in Glendive is the nearest option, offering two-year degrees and workforce certificates. MSU Billings, approximately 220 miles west on I-94, offers four-year programs in business, education, health sciences, and liberal arts. Miles Community College, roughly 80 miles west, offers another two-year option with strong vocational and transfer programs. Many Glendive graduates start at Dawson CC before transferring to a four-year institution or entering the workforce with a credential in hand — an advantage most small Montana towns do not have.
What Families Should Know
For families considering a move to Glendive, the school system is a standout. The Glendive Public Schools district operates a close-knit system where teachers know students by name, parent involvement is high, and the community turns out for Red Devils games and school events. The 89% graduation rate compares well for a community of this size. Glendive's greatest educational advantages are Dawson Community College — providing post-secondary access without relocating — and its extraordinary natural setting: Makoshika State Park for geology and paleontology, the Yellowstone River for ecology, and dinosaur fossil sites that bring science to life.
Housing costs are a fraction of Montana resort towns, and the community's commitment to its schools is evident. The main trade-off is that the district is smaller than Billings or Bozeman — advanced course offerings, AP classes, and extracurricular variety are more limited. For families who value community, individualized attention, and an education enriched by eastern Montana's unique landscape, Glendive's schools deliver.
For details on employment and the local economy, see our Glendive jobs and economy guide.