Average salary by city in Montana
- Bozeman$65,670
- Helena$65,270
- Billings$61,900
- Missoula$59,900
- Great Falls$59,170
Map of Montana metro areas
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Salary, take-home pay and cost of living by city
| City | Average | Median | Take-home* | Cost of living | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $65,670 | $54,830 | $52,596 | 103 | $705,739 |
| Helena | $65,270 | $55,040 | $52,282 | 96 | $477,996 |
| Billings | $61,900 | $49,060 | $49,764 | 94 | $410,666 |
| Missoula | $59,900 | $47,830 | $48,251 | 96 | $580,429 |
| Great Falls | $59,170 | $46,510 | $47,699 | 97 | $344,945 |
*Average salary after federal and state income tax and payroll taxes for a single filer. Cost of living: BEA price parity, U.S. = 100.
Highest-paying jobs in Montana
- Family Medicine Physicians · Great Falls$378,060
- Family Medicine Physicians · Helena$357,260
- Family Medicine Physicians · Bozeman$346,720
- Physicians, All Other · Helena$325,750
- Physicians, All Other · Missoula$318,500
- Family Medicine Physicians · Missoula$285,790
- Chief Executives · Billings$284,420
- Family Medicine Physicians · Billings$273,400
- General Internal Medicine Physicians · Missoula$272,570
- Chief Executives · Bozeman$241,920
Most common jobs in Montana
| Job | Jobs in these metros | Highest city average |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 9,740 | $33,050 |
| Retail Salespersons | 9,420 | $41,480 |
| General and Operations Managers | 7,340 | $117,020 |
| Registered Nurses | 7,060 | $99,570 |
| Cashiers | 6,670 | $38,680 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 6,270 | $41,060 |
| Office Clerks, General | 6,030 | $52,940 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 6,000 | $44,740 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 5,080 | $42,860 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 4,820 | $42,110 |
Montana income tax and take-home pay
Take-home figures on these pages apply Montana's 2026 income tax rules for a single filer with the standard deduction, plus federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security and Medicare.
Montana at a glance
Average salary in other states
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Salary in Montana: questions
What is the average salary in Montana?
$60,357 a year across all jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025), weighted by employment over the state's metro and nonmetro areas.
Which city in Montana pays the most?
Bozeman, with an average of $65,670 a year among the metro areas we cover.
Is Montana expensive to live in?
BEA puts Montana prices 5% below the U.S. average (price parity 94.6). Within the state, Bozeman 103, Great Falls 97, Missoula 96 are the most expensive metros.
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. State average: all occupations, employment-weighted over every OEWS metro and nonmetro area whose principal state is Montana.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Population and median household income: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2023.
- Crime: FBI Crime Data Explorer, violent and property crimes reported by agencies statewide, latest 12 months available.
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