HighestPaidProfession

Highest-paying jobs in Montana

The highest published median in Montana is for orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric, at $560,820 a year. For 2 more occupations, BLS reports the median only as “$239,200 or more”; they are listed below the table. The median for all occupations in the state is $48,740, against $50,980 nationally.

Montana · all occupationsMay 2025
Median / yr
$48,740
Mean / yr
$60,880
Price level (U.S.=100)
94.6
Median, price-adjusted
$51,498
Adjusted rank
33 of 51
Jobs
511,580

Price-adjusted = median ÷ (BEA 2024 regional price parity ÷ 100). Compare all states.

The 50 best-paid occupations in Montana

MT · Src BLS-OEWS · May 2025Top 50 of 602
Top 50 occupations in Montana by median annual wage
No.OccupationMedian in MTU.S. medianEmployed in MT
1Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric$560,820$358,550—
2Physicians, All Other$438,850$265,930580
3Radiologists$360,330$420,860110
4Family Medicine Physicians$330,760$244,180460
5Orthodontists$312,840$289,140—
6Nurse Anesthetists$277,380$236,590—
7Pediatricians, General$273,260$210,04050
8Chief Executives$182,340$213,990670
9Dentists, General$167,200$170,950380
10Marketing Managers$165,580$166,790—
11Architectural and Engineering Managers$146,030$171,270560
12Pharmacists$142,080$140,9101,190
13Physician Assistants$141,470$135,880600
14Nurse Practitioners$137,210$132,3001,260
15Computer and Information Systems Managers$132,860$175,1401,180
16Advertising and Promotions Managers$131,770$133,660—
17Financial Managers$131,060$166,5701,510
18Administrative Services Managers$129,670$114,130400
19Chemical Engineers$127,490$125,04080
20Psychologists, All Other$126,960$110,84040
21Purchasing Managers$123,480$148,080160
22Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$122,930$115,210110
23Software Developers$121,990$135,9802,160
24Industrial Production Managers$120,690$126,060270
25Natural Sciences Managers$119,430$167,220370
26Sales Managers$117,390$148,2701,200
27Human Resources Managers$115,280$149,280530
28Managers, All Other$110,470$141,9001,600
29Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$110,320$95,320680
30Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers$110,250$89,90030
31Database Architects$109,990$139,500—
32Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary$109,050$98,070—
33Atmospheric and Space Scientists$108,890$99,07070
34Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$108,180$107,230300
35Power Plant Operators$106,040$102,040130
36Medical and Health Services Managers$105,840$123,8601,870
37Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers$105,410$106,220110
38Radiation Therapists$105,400$105,31050
39Construction Managers$104,480$114,9902,140
40Industrial Engineers$104,430$102,440390
41Computer Network Architects$104,300$134,050250
42Optometrists$104,280$136,570140
43Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary$104,220$101,42060
44Petroleum Engineers$104,060$144,910—
45Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$103,930$104,300150
46Physicists$103,800$172,25030
47Lawyers$103,720$159,6702,380
48Commercial Pilots$103,690$123,220330
49Education Administrators, Postsecondary$102,980$104,590300
50Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$101,950$103,410320

Median reported only as “$239,200 or more” in Montana: Anesthesiologists, Emergency Medicine Physicians. The exact figures are not published, so these are not ranked.

Dashes mean the employment estimate was not published.

Best-paid occupations with at least 1,000 jobs in Montana

  1. Pharmacists — $142,080 (1,190 jobs)
  2. Nurse Practitioners — $137,210 (1,260 jobs)
  3. Computer and Information Systems Managers — $132,860 (1,180 jobs)
  4. Financial Managers — $131,060 (1,510 jobs)
  5. Software Developers — $121,990 (2,160 jobs)
  6. Sales Managers — $117,390 (1,200 jobs)
  7. Managers, All Other — $110,470 (1,600 jobs)
  8. Medical and Health Services Managers — $105,840 (1,870 jobs)
  9. Construction Managers — $104,480 (2,140 jobs)
  10. Lawyers — $103,720 (2,380 jobs)

Sources