Montana prevailing wage rates, by county
What contractors must pay each trade on federally funded jobs in Montana, county by county. Wage plus fringe, next to what the same trade earns on private work.
Look up the prevailing wage in your Montana county
Rates by county for the main trades
Highest electrician rates
- 1Big Horn, Daniels and 10 more$62.09
- 2Beaverhead, Broadwater and 6 more$59.88
- 3Chouteau, Judith Basin and 7 more$58.91
Lowest
- 1Gallatin$27.55
- 2Flathead$33.32
- 3Carbon, Yellowstone$38.74
Building construction, wage + fringe per hour. Counties sharing one rate are grouped. Solid is a union rate, hatched is a survey rate. Click a county for every trade.
| County | Electrician | Plumber | Carpenter | Construction laborer | Heavy equipment operator | Ironworker | Sheet metal worker | Painter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaverhead | $59.88 | $66.37 | $27.64* | $23.00* | $28.95* | $61.14 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Big Horn | $62.09 | $36.62* | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Blaine | $55.60 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Broadwater | $59.88 | $66.37 | $27.64* | $23.00* | $28.95* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Carbon | $38.74* | $61.47 | $47.07 | $35.77 | $49.08 | $62.13 | $62.14 | $45.78 |
| Carter | $58.76 | $61.47 | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Cascade | — | $66.37 | $47.07 | $19.64* | $26.91* | $62.13 | $62.14 | $45.78 |
| Chouteau | $58.91 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Custer | $58.76 | $61.47 | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Daniels | $62.09 | $36.62* | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Dawson | $62.09 | $61.47 | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Deer Lodge | $59.88 | $66.37 | $27.64* | $23.00* | $28.95* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Fallon | $58.76 | $61.47 | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Fergus | $55.60 | $36.62* | $26.80* | $21.74* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Flathead | $33.32* | $52.11 | $18.53* | $14.29* | $24.77* | $61.14 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Gallatin | $27.55* | $66.37 | $47.07 | $21.98* | $28.95* | $62.13 | $28.70* | $19.62* |
| Garfield | $58.76 | $61.47 | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Glacier | $55.60 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $61.14 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Golden Valley | $62.09 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Granite | $59.88 | $66.37 | $27.64* | $23.00* | $28.95* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Hill | $55.60 | $36.62* | $47.08 | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Jefferson | $59.88 | $66.37 | $27.64* | $23.00* | $28.95* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Judith Basin | $58.91 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Lake | $58.65 | $52.11 | $47.07 | $15.02* | $24.77* | $61.14 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Lewis and Clark | $58.47 | $66.37 | $25.51* | $22.91* | $28.95* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Liberty | $58.91 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Lincoln | $58.65 | $52.11 | $47.07 | $20.10* | $19.53* | $61.14 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Madison | $59.88 | $66.37 | $30.30* | $22.80* | $28.95* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| McCone | $62.09 | $36.62* | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Meagher | $43.72 | $66.37 | $27.64* | $23.00* | $28.95* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Mineral | $58.65 | $52.11 | $47.07 | $15.02* | $24.77* | $61.14 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Missoula | $58.65 | $60.08 | $47.07 | $35.77 | $26.91* | $61.14 | $62.14 | $25.19 |
| Musselshell | $58.91 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Park | $58.91 | $66.37 | $27.64* | $23.00* | $28.95* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Petroleum | $55.60 | $36.64* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Phillips | $58.76 | $61.47 | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Pondera | $55.60 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Powder River | $58.76 | $61.47 | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Powell | $59.88 | $60.08 | $27.64* | $23.00* | $28.95* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Prairie | $62.09 | $36.62* | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Ravalli | $58.65 | $52.11 | $47.07 | $15.02* | $24.77* | $61.14 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Richland | $62.09 | $36.62* | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Roosevelt | $62.09 | $36.62* | $47.08 | $13.59* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Rosebud | $58.76 | $61.47 | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Sanders | $58.65 | $52.11 | $47.07 | $15.02* | $24.77* | $61.14 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Sheridan | $62.09 | $36.62* | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Silver Bow | $59.88 | $66.37 | $47.07 | $35.77 | $28.95* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Stillwater | $62.09 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Sweet Grass | $58.91 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Teton | $58.91 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Toole | $58.91 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Treasure | $62.09 | $36.62* | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Valley | $58.76 | $61.47 | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Wheatland | $58.91 | $36.62* | $26.46* | $20.76* | $28.55* | $62.13 | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Wibaux | $62.09 | $36.62* | $19.01* | $17.58* | $28.55* | $33.21* | $62.07 | $19.18* |
| Yellowstone | $38.74* | $61.47 | $47.07 | $35.77 | $49.08 | $62.13 | $62.14 | $45.78 |
Building construction, wage + fringe per hour, current revision. * = survey rate. Not the official determination: the lookup gives the determination number and a link to the official text.
Prevailing wage vs market pay in Montana
The prevailing wage is what federally funded jobs must pay. The market median is what Montana employers report paying across all work, with no benefits in it. Every trade in the state is ranked on the highest-paying trades in Montana page, and every state is compared on the prevailing wage rates by state page.
| Trade | Market median $/hr | Prevailing wage $/hr (wage + fringe) | Rate type | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician in Montana | $36.90 | $58.91 | Union | +$22.01 |
| Plumber in Montana | $38.44 | $61.47 | Union | +$23.03 |
| Carpenter in Montana | $28.28 | $47.07 | Union | +$18.79 |
| Construction laborer in Montana | $23.96 | $35.77 | Union | +$11.81 |
| Heavy equipment operator in Montana | $29.61 | $49.08 | Union | +$19.47 |
| Ironworker in Montana | $32.40 | $62.13 | Union | +$29.73 |
| Sheet metal worker in Montana | $29.53 | $62.07 | Union | +$32.54 |
| Painter in Montana | $28.03 | $45.78 | Union | +$17.75 |
Prevailing wage is the typical Davis-Bacon rate across counties with one, Building construction. The market median has no benefits in it, so the gap is bigger than the difference in take-home pay. Not the official determination.
Questions this page answers
What is the prevailing wage in Montana?
On federally funded construction in Montana, it is the Davis-Bacon rate: a wage plus a fringe amount for benefits, set by county and trade in 79 wage determinations covering Building, Residential, Heavy and Highway work. Electricians are on a union rate in 51 of the 55 counties with a Building rate, and the typical union rate is $58.91 an hour, wage and fringe together.
How many Davis-Bacon wage determinations cover Montana?
79 active determinations cover Montana: 40 Building, 14 Heavy, 1 Highway, 24 Residential. The Building ones list rates for 56 counties, shown on this page. This page covers the federal rates; state-funded jobs may fall under Montana's own prevailing wage law.
How often do the rates change?
The Department of Labor publishes changes most Thursdays. The latest change to a Montana determination in our data is dated 2026-11-12. New determination numbers come out each January.
Sources and notes
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations for Montana, current revisions as of 2026-11-13: Residential 24, Building 40, Heavy 14, Highway 1.
- BLS OEWS May 2025 for market medians.
- Trade names simplified from the official classification labels by Skilled Wages; where a determination lists several electrician or laborer classes, the journeyman or general class is shown. The official text governs.