High paying jobs in Montana

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Montana. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Physicians, All Other$438,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$236,960 – $442,330580
2Family Medicine Physicians$330,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$175,530 – $511,880460
3Chief Executives$182,340
Bachelor's degree
$73,970 – $432,240670
4Dentists, General$167,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,710 – $230,580380
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$146,030
Bachelor's degree
$105,270 – $204,300560
6Pharmacists$142,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,660 – $165,2601,190
7Physician Assistants$141,470
Master's degree
$112,200 – $165,560600
8Nurse Practitioners$137,210
Master's degree
$105,110 – $166,9401,260
9Computer and Information Systems Managers$132,860
Bachelor's degree
$92,820 – $215,8001,180
10Financial Managers$131,060
Bachelor's degree
$81,430 – $234,3701,510
11Administrative Services Managers$129,670
Bachelor's degree
$88,560 – $209,650400
12Purchasing Managers$123,480
Bachelor's degree
$78,800 – $186,280160
13Software Developers$121,990
Bachelor's degree
$73,370 – $221,4002,160
14Industrial Production Managers$120,690
Bachelor's degree
$79,990 – $182,400270
15Natural Sciences Managers$119,430
Bachelor's degree
$91,560 – $281,640370
16Sales Managers$117,390
Bachelor's degree
$81,030 – $205,7601,200
17Human Resources Managers$115,280
Bachelor's degree
$81,330 – $186,460530
18Managers, All Other$110,470
Bachelor's degree
$63,080 – $174,1901,600
19Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$110,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,220 – $125,010680
20Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$108,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,300 – $146,570300
21Medical and Health Services Managers$105,840
Bachelor's degree
$65,300 – $193,4101,870
22Construction Managers$104,480
Bachelor's degree
$71,930 – $173,6302,140
23Industrial Engineers$104,430
Bachelor's degree
$76,920 – $175,660390
24Computer Network Architects$104,300
Bachelor's degree
$73,970 – $162,590250
25Lawyers$103,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,090 – $179,6202,380
26Commercial Pilots$103,690
Postsecondary nondegree award
$73,440 – $226,770330
27Education Administrators, Postsecondary$102,980
Master's degree
$66,940 – $174,190300
28Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$101,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,820 – $139,770320
29Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$101,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,310 – $297,190370
30Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$101,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,810 – $167,470280
31Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$101,000
Associate's degree
$80,750 – $121,260230
32Data Scientists$100,490
Bachelor's degree
$67,120 – $167,150220
33Environmental Engineers$100,140
Bachelor's degree
$63,920 – $154,530300
34Public Relations Managers$99,990
Bachelor's degree
$72,980 – $147,470180
35Veterinarians$99,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,390 – $183,190510
36Financial and Investment Analysts$99,190
Bachelor's degree
$59,000 – $165,100440
37Dental Hygienists$98,440
Associate's degree
$83,060 – $104,780860
38Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$98,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$75,760 – $108,160550
39Management Analysts$97,470
Bachelor's degree
$37,300 – $145,6601,590
40Engineers, All Other$97,470
Bachelor's degree
$62,100 – $136,990240
41Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$97,290
Bachelor's degree
$61,500 – $139,640550
42Facilities Managers$96,100
Bachelor's degree
$59,700 – $142,060340
43Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$95,700
Master's degree
$63,960 – $127,800930
44Mechanical Engineers$94,190
Bachelor's degree
$65,820 – $133,270500
45Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$93,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,760 – $130,710160
46Civil Engineers$93,070
Bachelor's degree
$62,230 – $129,0201,870
47Detectives and Criminal Investigators$92,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,670 – $144,000500
48Biological Scientists, All Other$91,560
Bachelor's degree
$60,830 – $113,610550
49Physical Therapists$91,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,490 – $115,5401,180
50General and Operations Managers$91,380
Bachelor's degree
$48,890 – $187,26011,840

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	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$438,850	$236,960 – $442,330	580
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$330,760	$175,530 – $511,880	460
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$182,340	$73,970 – $432,240	670
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$167,200	$63,710 – $230,580	380
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$146,030	$105,270 – $204,300	560
6	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,080	$98,660 – $165,260	1,190
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$141,470	$112,200 – $165,560	600
8	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$137,210	$105,110 – $166,940	1,260
9	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,860	$92,820 – $215,800	1,180
10	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,060	$81,430 – $234,370	1,510
11	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,670	$88,560 – $209,650	400
12	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,480	$78,800 – $186,280	160
13	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$121,990	$73,370 – $221,400	2,160
14	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,690	$79,990 – $182,400	270
15	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,430	$91,560 – $281,640	370
16	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,390	$81,030 – $205,760	1,200
17	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$115,280	$81,330 – $186,460	530
18	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,470	$63,080 – $174,190	1,600
19	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,320	$73,220 – $125,010	680
20	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,180	$66,300 – $146,570	300
21	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,840	$65,300 – $193,410	1,870
22	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,480	$71,930 – $173,630	2,140
23	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,430	$76,920 – $175,660	390
24	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$104,300	$73,970 – $162,590	250
25	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$103,720	$62,090 – $179,620	2,380
26	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$103,690	$73,440 – $226,770	330
27	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$102,980	$66,940 – $174,190	300
28	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,950	$63,820 – $139,770	320
29	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,220	$49,310 – $297,190	370
30	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,170	$62,810 – $167,470	280
31	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$101,000	$80,750 – $121,260	230
32	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$100,490	$67,120 – $167,150	220
33	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,140	$63,920 – $154,530	300
34	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$99,990	$72,980 – $147,470	180
35	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$99,390	$51,390 – $183,190	510
36	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,190	$59,000 – $165,100	440
37	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,440	$83,060 – $104,780	860
38	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,310	$75,760 – $108,160	550
39	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,470	$37,300 – $145,660	1,590
40	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,470	$62,100 – $136,990	240
41	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$97,290	$61,500 – $139,640	550
42	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$96,100	$59,700 – $142,060	340
43	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$95,700	$63,960 – $127,800	930
44	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,190	$65,820 – $133,270	500
45	Agricultural Sciences Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,470	$62,760 – $130,710	160
46	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,070	$62,230 – $129,020	1,870
47	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,410	$58,670 – $144,000	500
48	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$91,560	$60,830 – $113,610	550
49	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$91,450	$78,490 – $115,540	1,180
50	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$91,380	$48,890 – $187,260	11,840

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 jobs in Montana

More for Montana

Metro areas in Montana

By field in Montana

Without a degree

By state