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Average Salary in Montana
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Montana, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 585 occupations in Montana. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Montana's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Montana jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Montana
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Montana is radiologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 395.9% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 160 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Montana pays 6.4% lower for this work. Next on the list are family medicine physicians at a mean of $239,200+ and nurse anesthetists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 680 people in Montana, so they describe the top of the Montana wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radiologists | 160 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 440 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 80 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 510 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 630 | $93.49 | $194,460 | $233,880 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 270 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $223,380 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 40 | $113.18 | $235,410 | $223,020 |
| Dentists, General | 480 | $76.67 | $159,480 | $180,630 |
| Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | 170 | $59.88 | $124,550 | $151,130 |
| Marketing Managers | 510 | $63.55 | $132,180 | $145,700 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | 480 | $46.48 | $96,670 | $145,440 |
| Financial Managers | 1,400 | $60.67 | $126,190 | $143,990 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 520 | $61.87 | $128,680 | $139,500 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 50 | $68.11 | $141,680 | $139,230 |
| Sales Managers | 750 | $60.18 | $125,170 | $138,210 |
Largest occupations in Montana
The occupation with the most jobs in Montana is fast food and counter workers, employing an estimated 15,940 people at a median annual wage of $29,280 and a mean of $29,780. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $30,480, so Montana's typical pay for this work runs 3.9% lower. The next-largest occupations are retail salespersons (13,500 jobs, median $35,000) and cashiers (12,500 jobs, median $30,620). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Montana pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 15,940 | $29,280 | $29,780 |
| Retail Salespersons | 13,500 | $35,000 | $37,160 |
| Cashiers | 12,500 | $30,620 | $31,310 |
| Office Clerks, General | 11,350 | $44,100 | $45,440 |
| General and Operations Managers | 11,090 | $85,240 | $101,530 |
| Registered Nurses | 10,540 | $81,560 | $88,480 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 9,200 | $37,390 | $38,320 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 8,880 | $38,500 | $39,610 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 8,170 | $36,830 | $38,230 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 8,010 | $33,150 | $33,270 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 7,670 | $45,600 | $46,630 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 7,630 | $22,630 | $28,660 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 7,050 | $59,060 | $59,050 |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 5,780 | $34,020 | $35,970 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 5,430 | $45,710 | $47,960 |
Where Montana pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Montana median with its own national median shows where Montana's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Montana jobs, the largest premium is for highway maintenance workers: a median of $60,730 in Montana versus $49,070 nationally, 23.8% higher. The largest discount is for lawyers, at $100,750 in Montana versus $151,160 nationally, 33.3% lower. In total, 30 of the 117 occupations with 1,000 or more Montana jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 176 of the 585 occupations published for Montana have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Montana's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Montana median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highway Maintenance Workers | $60,730 | $49,070 | +23.8% |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $77,930 | $62,970 | +23.8% |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $57,060 | $49,670 | +14.9% |
| Parts Salespersons | $42,620 | $37,440 | +13.8% |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $71,440 | $63,980 | +11.7% |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | $28,410 | $38,470 | -26.2% |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $47,960 | $66,700 | -28.1% |
| Bartenders | $22,840 | $33,530 | -31.9% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $22,630 | $33,760 | -33.0% |
| Lawyers | $100,750 | $151,160 | -33.3% |
Montana salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Montana?
By average pay, radiologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Montana, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Montana?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Montana, the largest occupation, fast food and counter workers, paid a median of $29,280 across 15,940 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 585 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Montana have?
Fast Food and Counter Workers is the largest occupation published for Montana, with an estimated 15,940 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $29,780.
Which occupations pay more in Montana than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Montana jobs, highway maintenance workers shows the largest premium: a median of $60,730 in Montana versus $49,070 nationally, 23.8% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.