Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Montana

Each occupation's median wage in Montana 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 Montana pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$438,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$236,960 – $442,330+65.0%
2Real Estate Sales Agents$79,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,010 – $194,630+49.7%
3Family Medicine Physicians$330,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$175,530 – $511,880+35.5%
4Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas$77,750
No formal educational credential
$47,150 – $97,290+33.7%
5Plant and System Operators, All Other$81,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,670 – $89,840+30.2%
6Skincare Specialists$58,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,130 – $96,780+29.1%
7Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$79,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,250 – $100,860+25.3%
8Roustabouts, Oil and Gas$58,800
No formal educational credential
$46,710 – $73,950+25.2%
9Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$60,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,630 – $66,250+23.8%
10Tire Repairers and Changers$46,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,790 – $49,880+22.9%
11Travel Agents$61,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,230 – $88,230+22.3%
12Electricians$76,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,130 – $89,510+21.5%
13Highway Maintenance Workers$60,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,650 – $65,610+21.3%
14Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$79,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,120 – $103,320+20.2%
15Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$58,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,470 – $101,260+19.6%
16Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas$71,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,110 – $104,280+18.7%
17Painters, Construction and Maintenance$58,290
No formal educational credential
$35,160 – $69,510+18.0%
18Helpers--Production Workers$46,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,280 – $50,690+18.0%
19Tree Trimmers and Pruners$59,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,950 – $69,760+16.9%
20Parts Salespersons$45,060
No formal educational credential
$29,210 – $58,960+16.6%
21Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$79,140
Associate's degree
$50,920 – $97,650+16.3%
22Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$41,390
No formal educational credential
$28,080 – $50,440+16.1%
23Fence Erectors$55,720
No formal educational credential
$39,470 – $68,200+16.1%
24Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,170 – $78,460+16.0%
25Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$45,350
No formal educational credential
$32,170 – $59,340+15.8%
26Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$73,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,450 – $92,410+15.8%
27Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$110,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,220 – $125,010+15.7%
28Tax Preparers$63,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,300 – $100,060+14.9%
29Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$49,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,320 – $57,960+14.8%
30Aircraft Service Attendants$46,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,150 – $57,780+14.5%
31Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$56,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,130 – $79,170+14.0%
32Logging Equipment Operators$56,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,490 – $89,800+13.7%
33Administrative Services Managers$129,670
Bachelor's degree
$88,560 – $209,650+13.6%
34Cargo and Freight Agents$59,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,380 – $80,270+13.4%
35Cooks, All Other$42,640
No formal educational credential
$31,600 – $50,670+13.1%
36Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators$79,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,400 – $80,440+13.0%
37Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$41,860
No formal educational credential
$27,150 – $60,200+12.6%
38Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$37,750
No formal educational credential
$26,820 – $58,790+12.4%
39Surveyors$84,610
Bachelor's degree
$57,720 – $120,370+12.2%
40Residential Advisors$47,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,460 – $58,950+11.8%
41Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$82,850
Associate's degree
$40,690 – $106,640+11.5%
42Surveying and Mapping Technicians$60,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,430 – $79,690+11.2%
43Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$43,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,960 – $62,280+10.9%
44Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$72,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,550 – $91,120+10.8%
45Locomotive Engineers$90,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$80,460 – $126,950+10.8%
46Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$54,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,180 – $62,930+10.3%
47First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$64,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,470 – $84,460+9.6%
48Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$59,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,520 – $61,230+9.2%
49Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$61,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,630 – $81,240+9.1%
50Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$43,840
No formal educational credential
$32,400 – $53,160+8.9%

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	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$438,850	$236,960 – $442,330	+65.0%
2	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,100	$49,010 – $194,630	+49.7%
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$330,760	$175,530 – $511,880	+35.5%
4	Service Unit Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$77,750	$47,150 – $97,290	+33.7%
5	Plant and System Operators, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,340	$60,670 – $89,840	+30.2%
6	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,500	$35,130 – $96,780	+29.1%
7	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,960	$48,250 – $100,860	+25.3%
8	Roustabouts, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$58,800	$46,710 – $73,950	+25.2%
9	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,110	$34,630 – $66,250	+23.8%
10	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,360	$36,790 – $49,880	+22.9%
11	Travel AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,330	$30,230 – $88,230	+22.3%
12	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,760	$49,130 – $89,510	+21.5%
13	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,960	$50,650 – $65,610	+21.3%
14	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,070	$51,120 – $103,320	+20.2%
15	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,070	$37,470 – $101,260	+19.6%
16	Earth Drillers, Except Oil and GasHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,470	$60,110 – $104,280	+18.7%
17	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$58,290	$35,160 – $69,510	+18.0%
18	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,110	$33,280 – $50,690	+18.0%
19	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,580	$46,950 – $69,760	+16.9%
20	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$45,060	$29,210 – $58,960	+16.6%
21	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$79,140	$50,920 – $97,650	+16.3%
22	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$41,390	$28,080 – $50,440	+16.1%
23	Fence ErectorsNo formal educational credential	$55,720	$39,470 – $68,200	+16.1%
24	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,740	$38,170 – $78,460	+16.0%
25	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$45,350	$32,170 – $59,340	+15.8%
26	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,970	$50,450 – $92,410	+15.8%
27	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,320	$73,220 – $125,010	+15.7%
28	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,080	$44,300 – $100,060	+14.9%
29	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,090	$42,320 – $57,960	+14.8%
30	Aircraft Service AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,310	$37,150 – $57,780	+14.5%
31	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,860	$39,130 – $79,170	+14.0%
32	Logging Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,530	$47,490 – $89,800	+13.7%
33	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,670	$88,560 – $209,650	+13.6%
34	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,240	$39,380 – $80,270	+13.4%
35	Cooks, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$42,640	$31,600 – $50,670	+13.1%
36	Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,170	$51,400 – $80,440	+13.0%
37	Motor Vehicle Operators, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$41,860	$27,150 – $60,200	+12.6%
38	Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service WorkersNo formal educational credential	$37,750	$26,820 – $58,790	+12.4%
39	SurveyorsBachelor's degree	$84,610	$57,720 – $120,370	+12.2%
40	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,230	$38,460 – $58,950	+11.8%
41	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,850	$40,690 – $106,640	+11.5%
42	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,330	$46,430 – $79,690	+11.2%
43	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,700	$34,960 – $62,280	+10.9%
44	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,560	$57,550 – $91,120	+10.8%
45	Locomotive EngineersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,220	$80,460 – $126,950	+10.8%
46	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,540	$46,180 – $62,930	+10.3%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,990	$38,470 – $84,460	+9.6%
48	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,180	$42,520 – $61,230	+9.2%
49	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,710	$41,630 – $81,240	+9.1%
50	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$43,840	$32,400 – $53,160	+8.9%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Montana

More for Montana

Metro areas in Montana

By field in Montana

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state