Fastest growing jobs in Montana, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Montana. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

State projections are produced by Montana's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Montana run 5.4% below the national average (2024), so a Montana salary is worth about 1.06× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Montana.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Montana

OccupationMedian, Montana · Growth 2024–34

1Nurse Practitioners$137,210
Master's degree
$105,110 – $166,940+45.0%
2Physician Assistants$141,470
Master's degree
$112,200 – $165,560+24.6%
3Medical and Health Services Managers$105,840
Bachelor's degree
$65,300 – $193,410+23.9%
4Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$47,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,420 – $64,370+20.1%
5Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$48,100
No formal educational credential
$36,990 – $83,340+20.0%
6Home Health and Personal Care Aides$36,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,370 – $44,740+19.2%
7Electricians$76,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,130 – $89,510+18.6%
8Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$41,170
Associate's degree
$35,420 – $57,660+18.2%
9Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$43,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,510 – $75,020+18.1%
10Veterinarians$99,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,390 – $183,190+18.1%
11Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation$37,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,600 – $51,700+17.6%
12Personal Financial Advisors$97,450
Bachelor's degree
$55,010 – $241,240+16.7%
13Financial Managers$131,060
Bachelor's degree
$81,430 – $234,370+16.6%
14Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$60,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,900 – $81,230+16.3%
15Dental Hygienists$98,440
Associate's degree
$83,060 – $104,780+16.3%
16Occupational Therapists$88,990
Master's degree
$76,110 – $110,910+16.2%
17Animal Caretakers$34,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,170 – $49,080+16.1%
18Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$45,350
No formal educational credential
$32,170 – $59,340+16.1%
19Tour and Travel Guides$40,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,770 – $59,280+15.7%
20Computer and Information Systems Managers$132,860
Bachelor's degree
$92,820 – $215,800+15.5%
21Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$38,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,430 – $45,220+15.5%
22Healthcare Social Workers$57,090
Master's degree
$46,330 – $77,730+15.4%
23Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$59,000
Master's degree
$36,840 – $83,640+15.2%
24Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$36,620
No formal educational credential
$29,840 – $46,290+15.2%
25Dental Assistants$46,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,340 – $57,900+15.0%
26Cooks, Restaurant$38,060
No formal educational credential
$29,380 – $47,670+14.9%
27Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,050 – $59,340+14.8%
28Painters, Construction and Maintenance$58,290
No formal educational credential
$35,160 – $69,510+14.5%
29Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$55,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,720 – $81,470+14.4%
30Medical Assistants$46,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,670 – $56,770+14.3%
31Mechanical Engineers$94,190
Bachelor's degree
$65,820 – $133,270+13.8%
32Training and Development Specialists$62,880
Bachelor's degree
$35,970 – $99,750+13.7%
33Nursing Assistants$40,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,780 – $49,700+13.7%
34Self-Enrichment Teachers$45,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,340 – $72,380+13.6%
35Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks$35,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,470 – $43,320+13.3%
36Industrial Machinery Mechanics$67,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,730 – $105,930+13.2%
37Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$110,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,220 – $125,010+13.0%
38Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$36,540
Associate's degree
$28,370 – $49,550+12.9%
39First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$48,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,310 – $66,810+12.9%
40Speech-Language Pathologists$78,740
Master's degree
$58,460 – $106,330+12.7%
41Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$73,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,450 – $92,410+12.6%
42Software Developers$121,990
Bachelor's degree
$73,370 – $221,400+12.5%
43Dentists, General$167,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,710 – $230,580+12.3%
44Fence Erectors$55,720
No formal educational credential
$39,470 – $68,200+12.2%
45Physical Therapists$91,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,490 – $115,540+12.2%
46Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$36,250
No formal educational credential
$30,160 – $44,980+12.2%
47Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$55,920 – $124,530+12.1%
48Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$41,390
No formal educational credential
$28,080 – $50,440+12.0%
49Sheet Metal Workers$61,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,310 – $84,220+12.0%
50Phlebotomists$45,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,950 – $52,590+11.8%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianMontana	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$137,210	$105,110 – $166,940	+45.0%
2	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$141,470	$112,200 – $165,560	+24.6%
3	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,840	$65,300 – $193,410	+23.9%
4	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,290	$35,420 – $64,370	+20.1%
5	Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and WallNo formal educational credential	$48,100	$36,990 – $83,340	+20.0%
6	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,630	$29,370 – $44,740	+19.2%
7	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,760	$49,130 – $89,510	+18.6%
8	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$41,170	$35,420 – $57,660	+18.2%
9	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,940	$29,510 – $75,020	+18.1%
10	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$99,390	$51,390 – $183,190	+18.1%
11	Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, VegetationHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,760	$31,600 – $51,700	+17.6%
12	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$97,450	$55,010 – $241,240	+16.7%
13	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,060	$81,430 – $234,370	+16.6%
14	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,850	$41,900 – $81,230	+16.3%
15	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,440	$83,060 – $104,780	+16.3%
16	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$88,990	$76,110 – $110,910	+16.2%
17	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,210	$26,170 – $49,080	+16.1%
18	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$45,350	$32,170 – $59,340	+16.1%
19	Tour and Travel GuidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,100	$23,770 – $59,280	+15.7%
20	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,860	$92,820 – $215,800	+15.5%
21	Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,340	$29,430 – $45,220	+15.5%
22	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$57,090	$46,330 – $77,730	+15.4%
23	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$59,000	$36,840 – $83,640	+15.2%
24	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$36,620	$29,840 – $46,290	+15.2%
25	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,680	$37,340 – $57,900	+15.0%
26	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$38,060	$29,380 – $47,670	+14.9%
27	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,940	$35,050 – $59,340	+14.8%
28	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$58,290	$35,160 – $69,510	+14.5%
29	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,610	$43,720 – $81,470	+14.4%
30	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,820	$38,670 – $56,770	+14.3%
31	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,190	$65,820 – $133,270	+13.8%
32	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$62,880	$35,970 – $99,750	+13.7%
33	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,900	$36,780 – $49,700	+13.7%
34	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,050	$29,340 – $72,380	+13.6%
35	Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,330	$29,470 – $43,320	+13.3%
36	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,250	$48,730 – $105,930	+13.2%
37	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,320	$73,220 – $125,010	+13.0%
38	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$36,540	$28,370 – $49,550	+12.9%
39	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,240	$34,310 – $66,810	+12.9%
40	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$78,740	$58,460 – $106,330	+12.7%
41	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,970	$50,450 – $92,410	+12.6%
42	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$121,990	$73,370 – $221,400	+12.5%
43	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$167,200	$63,710 – $230,580	+12.3%
44	Fence ErectorsNo formal educational credential	$55,720	$39,470 – $68,200	+12.2%
45	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$91,450	$78,490 – $115,540	+12.2%
46	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$36,250	$30,160 – $44,980	+12.2%
47	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,330	$55,920 – $124,530	+12.1%
48	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$41,390	$28,080 – $50,440	+12.0%
49	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,420	$44,310 – $84,220	+12.0%
50	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,470	$36,950 – $52,590	+11.8%

More for Montana

Metro areas in Montana

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Montana

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Montana to rank honestly.

Fastest growing jobs in Montana, 2024–34

More for Montana

Metro areas in Montana

By field in Montana

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34