State salary profile · Montana

Montana Salaries

Montana statewide wages plus 5 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas, from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT, Helena, MT, Missoula, MT, then Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area, West Montana nonmetropolitan area.

$153,857
Mean of top 50 medians
602
Occupations
8
Local wage areas
25,200
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in Montana is $153,857.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 602 occupations in Montana; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric, earns $560,820, versus $21,940 for Gambling Dealers at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 5 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT, Helena, MT, Missoula, MT, then Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area, West Montana nonmetropolitan area.

Montana · employment ≠ wage

In Montana, Fast Food and Counter Workers lead by published employment (14,960 jobs, #1 of 580) but rank #568 of 580 on median wage ($29,090), while Physicians, All Other top the wage list at $438,850 (#1 of 580) with 580 jobs (#181 of 580). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

14,960
Fast Food and Counter Work... employment #1
$438,850
Physicians wage #1
#181
Employment rank of wage leader
#568
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of Montana's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Fast Food and Counter Workers lead Montana by employment; Physicians, All Other lead on median wage at $438,850.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

Montana, the picture in one line

Montana ranks #38 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $560,820. Published local OEWS areas include Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT, Helena, MT, Missoula, MT, then Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area, West Montana nonmetropolitan area.

#38
of 54 states by published mean wage
$560,820
top-paying: Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
30th
percentile among all states
Billings, MT
local OEWS: Billings, MT and Bozeman, MT

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Billings, MT.

Statewide OEWS footprints behind Montana's 8 local areas

Lawyers and Software Developers lead Montana's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. Lawyers 2,380 jobs · $103,720
  2. 2. Software Developers 2,160 jobs · $121,990
  3. 3. Construction Managers 2,140 jobs · $104,480
  4. 4. Medical and Health Services Managers 1,870 jobs · $105,840
  5. 5. Managers, All Other 1,600 jobs · $110,470
  6. 6. Financial Managers 1,510 jobs · $131,060
  7. 7. Nurse Practitioners 1,260 jobs · $137,210
  8. 8. Sales Managers 1,200 jobs · $117,390
  9. 9. Pharmacists 1,190 jobs · $142,080
  10. 10. Computer and Information Systems Managers 1,180 jobs · $132,860
  11. 11. Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers 680 jobs · $110,320
  12. 12. Chief Executives 670 jobs · $182,340
  13. 13. Physician Assistants 600 jobs · $141,470
  14. 14. Physicians, All Other 580 jobs · $438,850
  15. 15. Architectural and Engineering Managers 560 jobs · $146,030
  16. 16. Human Resources Managers 530 jobs · $115,280
  17. 17. Family Medicine Physicians 460 jobs · $330,760
  18. 18. Administrative Services Managers 400 jobs · $129,670
  19. 19. Industrial Engineers 390 jobs · $104,430
  20. 20. Dentists, General 380 jobs · $167,200

Local BLS wage areas inside Montana

Published local OEWS areas include Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT, Helena, MT, Missoula, MT, then Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area, West Montana nonmetropolitan area.

Billings, MT Bozeman, MT East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area Great Falls, MT Helena, MT Missoula, MT Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area West Montana nonmetropolitan area

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in Montana moved from $47,360 in May 2024 to $48,740 in May 2025 (+2.9%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • Montana sits +0.2 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Waiters and Waitresses shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in Montana

Waiters and Waitresses publishes $23,370 here versus $35,230 nationally (-33.7%; 7,200statewide jobs). Next is Bartenders at $26,010 locally versus $34,340 nationally (-24.3%).

  1. Waiters and Waitresses$23,370 in Montana sits 33.7% below the national Waiters and Waitresses median of $35,230 (7,200 published local jobs).
  2. Bartenders$26,010 in Montana sits 24.3% below the national Bartenders median of $34,340 (5,370 published local jobs).
  3. General and Operations Managers$91,380 in Montana sits 13.6% below the national General and Operations Managers median of $105,770 (11,840 published local jobs).
  4. Registered Nurses$85,280 in Montana sits 12.6% below the national Registered Nurses median of $97,550 (10,950 published local jobs).

Waiters and Waitresses and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for Montana; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The Montana OEWS table has a published median for 602 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 25,200; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $153,857 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT, Helena, MT, Missoula, MT, then Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area, West Montana nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT, Helena, MT, Missoula, MT, Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area, West Montana nonmetropolitan area.

At the top of the ranking, Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric pays a Montana median of $560,820, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Physicians, All Other at $438,850, followed by Radiologists at $360,330. At the bottom of the published range, Gambling Dealers has a median of $21,940, making the displayed endpoint ratio 25.6×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 5 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Montana, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

Because Montana publishes 8 OEWS areas, treat the statewide Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric median as a roll-up and re-check the same occupation in Billings, MT or Bozeman, MT where BLS releases the row. Tips and commissions stay inside OEWS; benefits and equity do not. Published local OEWS areas include Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT, Helena, MT, Missoula, MT, then Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area, West Montana nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$153,857

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$560,820

Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric

Where Montana ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Billings, MT and Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area

$60,880 Bottom 30% higher than 30% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). This entry sits in this band. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 (this entry) 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$60,880 · 30th percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Montana ranks #38 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($60,880). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $60,880 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $64,355. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for Montana (RPP 94.6, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in Montana

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 602 distinct occupations in Montana. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in Montana, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published Montana jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Lawyers $103,720
2 Software Developers $121,990
3 Construction Managers $104,480
4 Medical and Health Services Managers $105,840
5 Managers, All Other $110,470
6 Financial Managers $131,060
7 Nurse Practitioners $137,210
8 Sales Managers $117,390
9 Pharmacists $142,080
10 Computer and Information Systems Managers $132,860
11 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers $110,320
12 Chief Executives $182,340
13 Physician Assistants $141,470
14 Physicians, All Other $438,850
15 Architectural and Engineering Managers $146,030
16 Human Resources Managers $115,280
17 Family Medicine Physicians $330,760
18 Administrative Services Managers $129,670
19 Industrial Engineers $104,430
20 Dentists, General $167,200
21 Natural Sciences Managers $119,430
22 Commercial Pilots $103,690
23 Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $101,950
24 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $108,180
25 Education Administrators, Postsecondary $102,980
26 Industrial Production Managers $120,690
27 Computer Network Architects $104,300
28 Purchasing Managers $123,480
29 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $103,930
30 Optometrists $104,280
31 Power Plant Operators $106,040
32 Radiologists $360,330
33 Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other $122,930
34 Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers $105,410
35 Chemical Engineers $127,490
36 Atmospheric and Space Scientists $108,890
37 Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary $104,220
38 Pediatricians, General $273,260
39 Radiation Therapists $105,400
40 Psychologists, All Other $126,960
41 Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers $110,250
42 Physicists $103,800
43 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $560,820
44 Orthodontists $312,840
45 Nurse Anesthetists $277,380
46 Marketing Managers $165,580
47 Advertising and Promotions Managers $131,770
48 Database Architects $109,990
49 Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $109,050
50 Petroleum Engineers $104,060

Lowest Paying Jobs in Montana

Occupation Median Salary
Gambling Dealers $21,940
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners $22,030
Waiters and Waitresses $23,370
Gambling Service Workers, All Other $23,400
Bartenders $26,010
Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers, All Other $26,660
Cooks, Fast Food $26,770
Parking Attendants $27,100
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $27,510
Driver/Sales Workers $27,580
Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers $27,910
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term $28,050
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $28,910
Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,090
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $29,710
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other $29,720
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary $30,070
Dishwashers $30,130
Baggage Porters and Bellhops $30,830
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant $32,090
Forest and Conservation Workers $32,600
Crossing Guards and Flaggers $32,600
Demonstrators and Product Promoters $33,070
Cooks, Short Order $33,240
Manicurists and Pedicurists $33,660

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in Montana. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside Montana. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($60,880 here) and reported employment (511,580 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related Montana pages

Published local OEWS areas include Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT, Helena, MT, Missoula, MT, then Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area, West Montana nonmetropolitan area.

Billings, MT

Local OEWS wage area

Bozeman, MT

Local OEWS wage area

East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Great Falls, MT

Local OEWS wage area

Helena, MT

Local OEWS wage area

Missoula, MT

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in Montana

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in Montana

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in Montana? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $153,857/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in Montana? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $60,880/year for Montana in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 38th among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT, Helena, MT, Missoula, MT, then Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area, West Montana nonmetropolitan area. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in Montana? ▼
The highest paying occupation in Montana is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric with a median salary of $560,820/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Physicians, All Other at $438,850/year.
What jobs pay the least in Montana? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this Montana ranking is Gambling Dealers at $21,940/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for Montana? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 5 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Montana. Published local OEWS areas include Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT, Helena, MT, Missoula, MT, then Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area, West Montana nonmetropolitan area. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for Montana? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 602 distinct occupations in Montana. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 25,200 jobs in covered establishments.

Local-area sources inside Montana

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BLS OEWS metro area tables → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use Montana wage data in a real decision

  • Montana has 8 published OEWS areas starting with Billings, MT; open Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric inside a metro before using the statewide $560,820 median. Billings, MT
  • Inside Montana, re-check Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric in Billings, MT, Bozeman, MT, East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area, Great Falls, MT or Helena, MT before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Billings, MT
  • Open Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric for percentile bands and local-area rows; Montana's statewide median of $560,820 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
  • The published Montana range runs from Gambling Dealers at $21,940 to Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $560,820; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.