High paying entry level jobs in Montana

These occupations in Montana ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

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 · Employed

1Dentists, General$167,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,710 – $230,580380
2Pharmacists$142,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,660 – $165,2601,190
3Physician Assistants$141,470
Master's degree
$112,200 – $165,560600
4Nurse Practitioners$137,210
Master's degree
$105,110 – $166,9401,260
5Software Developers$121,990
Bachelor's degree
$73,370 – $221,4002,160
6Industrial Engineers$104,430
Bachelor's degree
$76,920 – $175,660390
7Lawyers$103,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,090 – $179,6202,380
8Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$101,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,820 – $139,770320
9Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$101,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,810 – $167,470280
10Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$101,000
Associate's degree
$80,750 – $121,260230
11Data Scientists$100,490
Bachelor's degree
$67,120 – $167,150220
12Environmental Engineers$100,140
Bachelor's degree
$63,920 – $154,530300
13Veterinarians$99,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,390 – $183,190510
14Financial and Investment Analysts$99,190
Bachelor's degree
$59,000 – $165,100440
15Dental Hygienists$98,440
Associate's degree
$83,060 – $104,780860
16Engineers, All Other$97,470
Bachelor's degree
$62,100 – $136,990240
17Mechanical Engineers$94,190
Bachelor's degree
$65,820 – $133,270500
18Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$93,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,760 – $130,710160
19Civil Engineers$93,070
Bachelor's degree
$62,230 – $129,0201,870
20Biological Scientists, All Other$91,560
Bachelor's degree
$60,830 – $113,610550
21Physical Therapists$91,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,490 – $115,5401,180
22Computer Systems Analysts$91,310
Bachelor's degree
$65,220 – $127,190850
23Occupational Therapists$88,990
Master's degree
$76,110 – $110,910420
24Project Management Specialists$87,890
Bachelor's degree
$58,680 – $143,1702,940
25Electrical Engineers$87,360
Bachelor's degree
$72,910 – $133,180790
26Registered Nurses$85,280
Bachelor's degree
$70,120 – $113,92010,950
27Hydrologists$84,500
Bachelor's degree
$63,060 – $115,210190
28Database Administrators$83,120
Bachelor's degree
$71,740 – $104,300300
29Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$82,850
Associate's degree
$40,690 – $106,640190
30Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$82,380
Bachelor's degree
$63,420 – $115,920170
31Computer Occupations, All Other$81,970
Bachelor's degree
$37,080 – $126,280540
32Business Teachers, Postsecondary$81,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,890 – $199,660170
33Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$55,920 – $124,530720
34Logisticians$81,270
Bachelor's degree
$57,260 – $117,650280
35Respiratory Therapists$81,190
Associate's degree
$60,800 – $92,890390
36Network and Computer Systems Administrators$80,950
Bachelor's degree
$60,890 – $108,290850
37Urban and Regional Planners$80,770
Master's degree
$57,310 – $109,970270
38Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$80,260
Bachelor's degree
$64,290 – $124,800570
39Budget Analysts$79,700
Bachelor's degree
$62,260 – $103,530360
40Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$79,140
Associate's degree
$50,920 – $97,650190
41Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$79,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,120 – $103,320190
42Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$78,850
Bachelor's degree
$62,540 – $96,100430
43Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$78,420
Master's degree
$48,460 – $127,950190
44Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$77,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,840 – $150,320570
45Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$77,070
Associate's degree
$55,750 – $91,650850
46Financial Specialists, All Other$76,350
Bachelor's degree
$49,030 – $106,850270
47Chiropractors$76,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,610 – $129,440240
48Accountants and Auditors$75,810
Bachelor's degree
$49,250 – $125,2904,730
49Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$75,520
Bachelor's degree
$54,450 – $121,100210
50Business Operations Specialists, All Other$74,990
Bachelor's degree
$49,870 – $109,3004,760

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	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$167,200	$63,710 – $230,580	380
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,080	$98,660 – $165,260	1,190
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$141,470	$112,200 – $165,560	600
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$137,210	$105,110 – $166,940	1,260
5	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$121,990	$73,370 – $221,400	2,160
6	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,430	$76,920 – $175,660	390
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$103,720	$62,090 – $179,620	2,380
8	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,950	$63,820 – $139,770	320
9	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,170	$62,810 – $167,470	280
10	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$101,000	$80,750 – $121,260	230
11	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$100,490	$67,120 – $167,150	220
12	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,140	$63,920 – $154,530	300
13	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$99,390	$51,390 – $183,190	510
14	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,190	$59,000 – $165,100	440
15	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,440	$83,060 – $104,780	860
16	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,470	$62,100 – $136,990	240
17	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,190	$65,820 – $133,270	500
18	Agricultural Sciences Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,470	$62,760 – $130,710	160
19	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,070	$62,230 – $129,020	1,870
20	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$91,560	$60,830 – $113,610	550
21	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$91,450	$78,490 – $115,540	1,180
22	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$91,310	$65,220 – $127,190	850
23	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$88,990	$76,110 – $110,910	420
24	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,890	$58,680 – $143,170	2,940
25	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$87,360	$72,910 – $133,180	790
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$85,280	$70,120 – $113,920	10,950
27	HydrologistsBachelor's degree	$84,500	$63,060 – $115,210	190
28	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$83,120	$71,740 – $104,300	300
29	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,850	$40,690 – $106,640	190
30	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,380	$63,420 – $115,920	170
31	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,970	$37,080 – $126,280	540
32	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$81,490	$50,890 – $199,660	170
33	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,330	$55,920 – $124,530	720
34	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$81,270	$57,260 – $117,650	280
35	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,190	$60,800 – $92,890	390
36	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$80,950	$60,890 – $108,290	850
37	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$80,770	$57,310 – $109,970	270
38	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$80,260	$64,290 – $124,800	570
39	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$79,700	$62,260 – $103,530	360
40	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$79,140	$50,920 – $97,650	190
41	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,070	$51,120 – $103,320	190
42	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$78,850	$62,540 – $96,100	430
43	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$78,420	$48,460 – $127,950	190
44	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$77,550	$37,840 – $150,320	570
45	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,070	$55,750 – $91,650	850
46	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,350	$49,030 – $106,850	270
47	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$76,120	$35,610 – $129,440	240
48	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$75,810	$49,250 – $125,290	4,730
49	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$75,520	$54,450 – $121,100	210
50	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$74,990	$49,870 – $109,300	4,760

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Montana. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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.

High paying entry level jobs in Montana

More for Montana

Metro areas in Montana

By field in Montana

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state