Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Great Falls, MT

Each occupation's median wage in Great Falls, MT compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Great Falls, MT pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Great Falls, MT run 3.2% below the national average (2024), so a Great Falls, MT salary is worth about 1.03× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Great Falls, MT

OccupationMedian, Great Falls, MT · vs. national

1Family Medicine Physicians$449,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$199,300 – $508,370+84.2%
2Detectives and Criminal Investigators$136,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,200 – $167,110+45.1%
3Industrial Machinery Mechanics$82,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,700 – $92,520+28.1%
4Personal Financial Advisors$131,270
Bachelor's degree
$53,580 – $581,160+24.9%
5Highway Maintenance Workers$62,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,270 – $62,700+24.8%
6Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$59,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,790 – $99,360+23.3%
7Tire Repairers and Changers$46,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,920 – $48,120+22.4%
8Electricians$76,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,800 – $94,670+21.8%
9Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$77,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,010 – $98,150+20.8%
10Parts Salespersons$46,060
No formal educational credential
$28,250 – $60,150+19.2%
11Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$42,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$21,940 – $60,810+18.6%
12Painters, Construction and Maintenance$58,260
No formal educational credential
$37,710 – $65,730+17.9%
13Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$59,110
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,580 – $87,090+16.8%
14Cargo and Freight Agents$60,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,400 – $69,010+16.4%
15Residential Advisors$48,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,460 – $59,420+15.1%
16Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$64,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,600 – $79,120+14.0%
17Logisticians$93,640
Bachelor's degree
$67,200 – $115,210+13.8%
18Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$59,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,170 – $59,960+10.6%
19Security Guards$41,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,060 – $44,380+10.3%
20Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$71,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,550 – $91,030+9.5%
21Coaches and Scouts$50,840
Bachelor's degree
$25,420 – $80,600+7.4%
22Pharmacy Technicians$49,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,750 – $58,800+7.3%
23Recreation Workers$38,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,450 – $50,540+6.6%
24Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$37,530
No formal educational credential
$28,560 – $46,090+6.1%
25Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$48,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,490 – $63,290+5.6%
26Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$41,350
No formal educational credential
$30,250 – $56,830+5.6%
27Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$36,610
No formal educational credential
$29,670 – $37,830+4.9%
28Construction Laborers$49,300
No formal educational credential
$36,330 – $71,190+4.6%
29Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$62,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,830 – $87,090+3.7%
30Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$55,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,540 – $99,570+3.7%
31Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$78,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,690 – $101,380+3.5%
32First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$60,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,320 – $92,340+3.4%
33Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$60,010
No formal educational credential
$45,530 – $75,030+2.6%
34Medical Assistants$46,840
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,390 – $56,350+2.5%
35Light Truck Drivers$45,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,960 – $93,770+2.1%
36Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$51,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,480 – $61,460+1.8%
37Chief Executives$217,910
Bachelor's degree
$90,890 – $423,110+1.8%
38Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,130
No formal educational credential
$27,440 – $47,840+1.7%
39Firefighters$60,080
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,270 – $72,520+1.3%
40Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,680
No formal educational credential
$45,960 – $76,290+1.2%
41Machinists$59,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,730 – $99,570+1.0%
42Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$39,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,080 – $64,690+0.9%
43Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$46,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,090 – $55,400+0.8%
44First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$48,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,680 – $76,930+0.3%
45Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$37,260
No formal educational credential
$28,690 – $45,970-0.1%
46Opticians, Dispensing$47,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,790 – $52,000-0.3%
47Food Service Managers$69,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,310 – $100,830-0.4%
48Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,390 – $60,000-0.6%
49Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$60,670
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,600 – $81,230-0.6%
50Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$35,450
No formal educational credential
$27,730 – $44,870-0.6%

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

#	Occupation	MedianGreat Falls, MT	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$449,840	$199,300 – $508,370	+84.2%
2	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$136,120	$67,200 – $167,110	+45.1%
3	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,620	$49,700 – $92,520	+28.1%
4	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$131,270	$53,580 – $581,160	+24.9%
5	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,700	$46,270 – $62,700	+24.8%
6	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,900	$36,790 – $99,360	+23.3%
7	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,150	$36,920 – $48,120	+22.4%
8	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,960	$48,800 – $94,670	+21.8%
9	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,100	$48,010 – $98,150	+20.8%
10	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$46,060	$28,250 – $60,150	+19.2%
11	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$42,450	$21,940 – $60,810	+18.6%
12	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$58,260	$37,710 – $65,730	+17.9%
13	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,110	$40,580 – $87,090	+16.8%
14	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,810	$43,400 – $69,010	+16.4%
15	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,610	$38,460 – $59,420	+15.1%
16	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,490	$45,600 – $79,120	+14.0%
17	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$93,640	$67,200 – $115,210	+13.8%
18	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,960	$51,170 – $59,960	+10.6%
19	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,950	$36,060 – $44,380	+10.3%
20	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,750	$48,550 – $91,030	+9.5%
21	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$50,840	$25,420 – $80,600	+7.4%
22	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,110	$38,750 – $58,800	+7.3%
23	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,990	$29,450 – $50,540	+6.6%
24	Food Servers, NonrestaurantNo formal educational credential	$37,530	$28,560 – $46,090	+6.1%
25	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,140	$36,490 – $63,290	+5.6%
26	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$41,350	$30,250 – $56,830	+5.6%
27	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$36,610	$29,670 – $37,830	+4.9%
28	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$49,300	$36,330 – $71,190	+4.6%
29	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,090	$49,830 – $87,090	+3.7%
30	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,720	$47,540 – $99,570	+3.7%
31	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,870	$56,690 – $101,380	+3.5%
32	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,430	$36,320 – $92,340	+3.4%
33	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$60,010	$45,530 – $75,030	+2.6%
34	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,840	$37,390 – $56,350	+2.5%
35	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,790	$33,960 – $93,770	+2.1%
36	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,240	$38,480 – $61,460	+1.8%
37	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$217,910	$90,890 – $423,110	+1.8%
38	Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNo formal educational credential	$36,130	$27,440 – $47,840	+1.7%
39	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,080	$47,270 – $72,520	+1.3%
40	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$57,680	$45,960 – $76,290	+1.2%
41	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,340	$36,730 – $99,570	+1.0%
42	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,730	$37,080 – $64,690	+0.9%
43	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,280	$39,090 – $55,400	+0.8%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,650	$34,680 – $76,930	+0.3%
45	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$37,260	$28,690 – $45,970	-0.1%
46	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,120	$33,790 – $52,000	-0.3%
47	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,130	$48,310 – $100,830	-0.4%
48	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,400	$35,390 – $60,000	-0.6%
49	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,670	$41,600 – $81,230	-0.6%
50	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$35,450	$27,730 – $44,870	-0.6%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Great Falls, MT

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