Montana RN Salary - How Much Do RNs Make in MT?

Despite being the fourth largest state in the US, Montana has surprisingly few residents. This state employed only 9,040 registered nurses as of May 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). At this time, the average RN salary in Montana was $60,700. This equates to about $29.18 per hour. This is just under the national average for this occupation, which the BLS reported to be $65,470 per year. The fact that Montana also has a cost of living below the national average might account for some of this difference.

Registered nurses in this state earned a range of salaries, depending on location, employer, experience, and education. Montana RNs with earnings in the 90th percentile were paid $79,420 or more in 2018. Those above the 75th percentile made $69,490 or more. The median RN salary was $58,840. RNs in the 25th percentile made $52,130 or less, and those in the ten percentile earned $46,030 or less.

The majority of registered nurses in Montana work in Billings. This city offers the highest average RN salary in Montana according to BLS data. Billings employed 2,000 RNs as of May 2018, with an average annual salary of $65,760. This is just slightly above the national average for this occupation. According to Forbes, the cost of living in Billings is about eight percent below the national average. This might be a good place to look for a job in Montana.

The area with the second highest number of RNs in Montana is the Missoula area. This area employed 1,350 RNs in 2018. The average RN salary in Missoula is $62,860. This figure falls between the state average and the national average. At the time when this data was recorded, 50 percent of Missoula RNs earned between $53,900 and $71,670.