High paying jobs in Montana that need no experience

Every occupation here pays well in Montana, requires no bachelor's degree, and requires no prior experience in a related job. That second filter is what separates this from the no-degree list, which is topped by supervisor roles asking five years in the trade before they will look at you. Several of these do involve months of training — but the employer provides it, and pays you during it, which is a feature rather than a barrier. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

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

1Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$110,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,220 – $125,010680
2Commercial Pilots$103,690
Postsecondary nondegree award
$73,440 – $226,770330
3Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$101,000
Associate's degree
$80,750 – $121,260230
4Dental Hygienists$98,440
Associate's degree
$83,060 – $104,780860
5Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$98,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$75,760 – $108,160550
6Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$82,850
Associate's degree
$40,690 – $106,640190
7Plant and System Operators, All Other$81,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,670 – $89,840170
8Respiratory Therapists$81,190
Associate's degree
$60,800 – $92,890390
9Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$79,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,250 – $100,8601,860
10Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators$79,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,400 – $80,440200
11Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$79,140
Associate's degree
$50,920 – $97,650190
12Real Estate Sales Agents$79,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,010 – $194,630370
13Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$79,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,120 – $103,320190
14Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$77,070
Associate's degree
$55,750 – $91,650850
15Electricians$76,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,130 – $89,5102,750
16Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$75,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,110 – $94,680530
17Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$73,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,450 – $92,410630
18Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$72,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,550 – $91,1201,330
19Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$70,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,330 – $84,1502,160
20Industrial Machinery Mechanics$67,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,730 – $105,930820
21Architectural and Civil Drafters$65,750
Associate's degree
$48,810 – $84,480600
22Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$65,730
Associate's degree
$44,890 – $91,170210
23Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$64,170
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,100 – $97,200310
24Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$63,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,080 – $101,3901,230
25Drafters, All Other$63,200
Associate's degree
$47,610 – $83,490280
26Tax Preparers$63,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,300 – $100,060360
27Transportation Inspectors$62,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,860 – $124,850180
28Physical Therapist Assistants$62,650
Associate's degree
$52,310 – $77,990250
29Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,230 – $74,3301,620
30Insurance Sales Agents$62,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,260 – $120,4302,090
31Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$61,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,630 – $81,240400
32Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$61,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,060 – $107,8003,510
33Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$61,620
No formal educational credential
$48,170 – $76,950780
34Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$61,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,130 – $79,8803,750
35Sheet Metal Workers$61,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,310 – $84,220410
36Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$61,410
Associate's degree
$47,910 – $78,750310
37Travel Agents$61,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,230 – $88,230200
38Computer Network Support Specialists$61,150
Associate's degree
$49,520 – $93,270890
39Stonemasons$61,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,250 – $85,340160
40Surgical Technologists$60,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,690 – $79,330490
41Highway Maintenance Workers$60,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,650 – $65,6101,140
42Machinists$60,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,940 – $81,810630
43Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$60,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,900 – $81,2301,230
44Surveying and Mapping Technicians$60,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,430 – $79,690430
45Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$60,140
No formal educational credential
$45,870 – $79,240170
46Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$60,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,630 – $66,250260
47Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$59,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,880 – $77,7001,230
48Tree Trimmers and Pruners$59,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,950 – $69,760230
49Firefighters$59,310
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,810 – $76,6201,010
50Cargo and Freight Agents$59,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,380 – $80,270370

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	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,320	$73,220 – $125,010	680
2	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$103,690	$73,440 – $226,770	330
3	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$101,000	$80,750 – $121,260	230
4	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,440	$83,060 – $104,780	860
5	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,310	$75,760 – $108,160	550
6	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,850	$40,690 – $106,640	190
7	Plant and System Operators, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,340	$60,670 – $89,840	170
8	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,190	$60,800 – $92,890	390
9	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,960	$48,250 – $100,860	1,860
10	Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,170	$51,400 – $80,440	200
11	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$79,140	$50,920 – $97,650	190
12	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,100	$49,010 – $194,630	370
13	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,070	$51,120 – $103,320	190
14	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,070	$55,750 – $91,650	850
15	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,760	$49,130 – $89,510	2,750
16	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,720	$48,110 – $94,680	530
17	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,970	$50,450 – $92,410	630
18	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,560	$57,550 – $91,120	1,330
19	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,050	$55,330 – $84,150	2,160
20	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,250	$48,730 – $105,930	820
21	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$65,750	$48,810 – $84,480	600
22	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$65,730	$44,890 – $91,170	210
23	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,170	$47,100 – $97,200	310
24	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,860	$46,080 – $101,390	1,230
25	Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$63,200	$47,610 – $83,490	280
26	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,080	$44,300 – $100,060	360
27	Transportation InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,810	$37,860 – $124,850	180
28	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,650	$52,310 – $77,990	250
29	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,210	$49,230 – $74,330	1,620
30	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,040	$42,260 – $120,430	2,090
31	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,710	$41,630 – $81,240	400
32	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,670	$39,060 – $107,800	3,510
33	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$61,620	$48,170 – $76,950	780
34	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,580	$48,130 – $79,880	3,750
35	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,420	$44,310 – $84,220	410
36	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,410	$47,910 – $78,750	310
37	Travel AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,330	$30,230 – $88,230	200
38	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$61,150	$49,520 – $93,270	890
39	StonemasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,040	$50,250 – $85,340	160
40	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,970	$37,690 – $79,330	490
41	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,960	$50,650 – $65,610	1,140
42	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,920	$37,940 – $81,810	630
43	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,850	$41,900 – $81,230	1,230
44	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,330	$46,430 – $79,690	430
45	Drywall and Ceiling Tile InstallersNo formal educational credential	$60,140	$45,870 – $79,240	170
46	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,110	$34,630 – $66,250	260
47	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,990	$44,880 – $77,700	1,230
48	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,580	$46,950 – $69,760	230
49	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,310	$32,810 – $76,620	1,010
50	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,240	$39,380 – $80,270	370

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 that need no experience

More for Montana

Metro areas in Montana

By field in Montana

Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no experience