Is Montana a good state for your salary to go far?

Montana ranks #32 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 97.8 across 370 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 94.6 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Montana?

Montana's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 94.6, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Montana

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Montana

Montana ranks #32 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 97.8, base = 100). Cost of living 94.6 (US = 100); top income tax 5.90%.

Does a salary go further in Montana? (cost of living + state tax)

In Montana, the cost of living is 94.6 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 97.8 across 370 occupations, ranking it #32 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Montana ranks #32 of 51 states. Mean across 370 occupations; 100 = the average state, 97.8 means pay goes -2.2% less far after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

97.8

Real pay by occupation in Montana (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Physicians, All Other	$438,850	$437,526	155.2
Family Medicine Physicians	$330,760	$330,058	129.2
Skincare Specialists	$58,500	$59,366	128.2
Pediatricians, General	$273,260	$272,889	127.1
Travel Agents	$61,330	$62,179	123.9
Medical Equipment Repairers	$74,070	$74,846	121.7
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers	$37,750	$38,735	121.0
Highway Maintenance Workers	$60,960	$61,812	120.9
Tire Repairers and Changers	$46,360	$47,296	120.7
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other	$79,070	$79,817	119.6
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars	$79,140	$79,887	118.7
Residential Advisors	$47,230	$48,161	118.6
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$79,960	$80,702	118.5
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary	$100,480	$101,104	117.4
Physical Therapist Aides	$38,950	$39,928	116.8
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse	$41,390	$42,354	116.2
Administrative Services Managers	$129,670	$130,126	115.9
Painters, Construction and Maintenance	$58,290	$59,157	115.9
Crane and Tower Operators	$82,800	$83,526	115.6
Tree Trimmers and Pruners	$59,580	$60,440	115.1
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers	$34,420	$35,403	114.8
Helpers--Production Workers	$46,110	$47,047	114.6
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers	$58,070	$58,938	114.5
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics	$58,740	$59,604	114.4
Surveyors	$84,610	$85,325	114.2
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers	$45,350	$46,291	113.9
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	$110,320	$110,887	113.6
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners	$56,860	$57,735	113.4
Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs	$59,180	$60,042	112.9
Electricians	$76,760	$77,521	112.6
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health	$60,550	$61,404	112.2
Parts Salespersons	$45,060	$46,003	111.7
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians	$82,850	$83,576	111.5
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers	$43,700	$44,651	111.2
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers	$73,970	$74,747	111.1
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants	$38,700	$39,680	111.1
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining	$65,850	$66,673	111.0
Pharmacy Technicians	$49,400	$50,318	110.4
First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other	$80,200	$80,941	110.4
Childcare Workers	$35,120	$36,108	110.0

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 370 BLS publishes for Montana. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (94.6, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Montana, a $85,000 salary is worth about $84,511 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $5,015 (≈ top marginal 5.90% (upper bound)) · take-home $79,985 · BEA cost of living 94.6 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $11,441 gain over Montana.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

Browse US jobs with salaries

Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Montana real pay — FAQ

Is Montana a good state for your salary to go far?: Montana ranks #32 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 97.8 across 370 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 94.6 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Montana?: Montana's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 94.6, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

Get the Gera US Real Pay Index when BLS refreshes OEWS

BLS OEWS and BEA cost-of-living data update roughly once a year. Save your email and we’ll send the refreshed rankings.

Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
Browse US jobs with salary ranges

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for Montana is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.