SOC 11-9041 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Architectural and Engineering Managers — Montana
Montana · 4 metro areas compared
In Montana the median wage is $146,030.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +3.8%
- Openings per year
- 14,500
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Montana.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Montana the median wage is $146,030. That is 14.7% lower than the national median of $171,270. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $122,110 and $176,400. The lowest tenth earn under $105,270, while the highest tenth earn more than $204,300.
Employment stands at 560, or 1.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 51 states with published data for this occupation, Montana ranks 46th by median wage. Billings leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $163,110. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 13th of 604 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $105,270 | −38.5% |
| 25th | $122,110 | −28.7% |
| Median (50th) | $146,030 | −14.7% |
| 75th | $176,400 | +3.0% |
| 90th | $204,300 | +19.3% |
| Mean | $153,170 | −10.6% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Montana
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Montana run 5.4% below the national average, so the median of $146,030 goes as far as $154,366 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 9.9% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$146,030as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$154,366US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $146,030 a year, 14.7% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $105,270 to $204,300 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 560 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 46th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Billings, at $163,110.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Architectural and Engineering Managers in Montana?
The median annual wage is $146,030, or $70.21 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $171,270, so pay in Montana is 14.7% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Montana earns more than $204,300 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $105,270 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Billings, at $163,110 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 560 jobs in this occupation in Montana. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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