Skilled Wages

Construction laborer salary in Montana

Median $23.96 an hour for 4,590 construction laborers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$23.96/hrMedian hourly wageMontana, May data
$49,830/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.14 – $30.7610th to 90th percentilehourly range
4,590Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Construction laborer pay in Montana: the full range

Wage percentiles, MontanaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrMontana: 10th $18.14 · 25th $20.80 · median $23.96 · 75th $28.24 · 90th $30.76Montana$23.96$18.14$30.76United States: 10th $16.87 · 25th $18.57 · median $22.66 · 75th $28.72 · 90th $37.54United States$22.66
Hourly wage percentiles for construction laborers: Montana vs United States, May 2025.

Montana ranks 19th of 51 states for median construction laborer pay, and 17th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.33). 4,590 construction laborers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$18.14 – $20.80$37,720 – $43,260roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$20.80 – $28.24$43,260 – $58,750the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$28.24 – $30.76$58,750 – $63,980the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Construction laborer pay by metro in Montana

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrBozeman: $26.77Bozeman$26.77Missoula: $24.00Missoula$24.00Great Falls: $23.70Great Falls$23.70Billings: $23.68Billings$23.68Helena: $23.53Helena$23.53
Median hourly wage for construction laborers by metro area in Montana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Bozeman$21.30$26.77$26.12$34.2279012% above
Missoula$18.03$24.00$24.90$29.20510about the same as
Great Falls$17.47$23.70$24.48$34.233501% below
Billings$18.44$23.68$25.33$30.988301% below
Helena$18.26$23.53$24.59$30.833202% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Construction laborer wages in Montana over time

Montana, 1999-2025MontanaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$5$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$23.96Montana$22.66United States
Median hourly wage for construction laborers, Montana vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMontana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$10.42$20.14$10.853,920
2000$11.02$20.60$11.153,360
2001$11.62$21.12$11.573,620
2002$12.37$22.14$11.903,790
2003$11.85$20.73$11.863,380
2004$11.04$18.82$12.103,170
2005$11.47$18.91$12.223,890
2006$12.52$19.99$12.663,900
2007$14.33$22.25$13.134,820
2008$15.65$23.40$13.713,840
2009$16.32$24.49$14.013,260
2010$15.94$23.53$14.082,910
2011$16.06$22.99$14.303,220
2012$15.78$22.13$14.423,630
2013$15.82$21.86$14.643,630
2014$15.58$21.19$14.953,860
2015$16.49$22.40$15.344,070
2016$17.30$23.21$16.074,720
2017$17.54$23.04$16.604,850
2018$17.62$22.59$17.214,500
2019$18.27$23.01$17.724,030
2020$18.84$23.44$18.224,110
2021$21.59$25.65$18.164,290
2022$22.50$24.75$19.594,290
2023$22.88$24.17$21.784,330
2024$23.67$24.29$22.474,720
2025$23.96$23.96$22.664,590

In today's dollars, the median construction laborer wage in Montana changed by +7.0% over the last ten years of data and by +4.1% since 2019.

Are there more construction laborer jobs in Montana?

+13.9%Jobs since 20194,030 then, 4,590 in 2025
+12.8%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
9.0Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.3× the US share, 12th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of construction laborers counted in Montana has changed by +17.1%, against +43.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +13.9%.

Construction laborers in Montana vs United States, 1999 = 100MontanaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages5075100125150175200020052010201520202025144United States117Montana
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Montana vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearMontana jobsMontana indexUS index
19993,920100100
20003,36086108
20013,62092108
20023,79097109
20033,38086110
20043,17081112
20053,89099122
20063,900100133
20074,820123138
20083,84098134
20093,26083112
20102,91074102
20113,22082102
20123,63093107
20133,63093108
20143,86098112
20154,070104116
20164,720120120
20174,850124126
20184,500115131
20194,030103134
20204,110105127
20214,290109127
20224,290109133
20234,330110134
20244,720120138
20254,590117144

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for construction laborers in Montana

+11.3%Projected growth in Montana2024–2034, state agency
550Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
5,860Jobs in 20246,530 projected for 2034
+7.3%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Montana's labor market agency projects the number of construction laborers in the state to change by +11.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 5,860 to 6,530, with about 550 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +7.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 4,590 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Montana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for construction laborers in Montana

On federally funded construction in Montana, contractors must pay construction laborers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 4 of the 56 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $35.77 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $20.76). 52 of the 56 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Beaverhead County at $23.00). The market median for the state is $23.96.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MTBeaverhead: $23.00 (survey)Big Horn: $17.58 (survey)Blaine: $20.76 (survey)Broadwater: $23.00 (survey)Carbon: $35.77 (union)Carter: $17.58 (survey)Cascade: $19.64 (survey)Chouteau: $20.76 (survey)Custer: $17.58 (survey)Daniels: $17.58 (survey)Dawson: $17.58 (survey)Deer Lodge: $23.00 (survey)Fallon: $17.58 (survey)Fergus: $21.74 (survey)Flathead: $14.29 (survey)Gallatin: $21.98 (survey)Garfield: $17.58 (survey)Glacier: $20.76 (survey)Golden Valley: $20.76 (survey)Granite: $23.00 (survey)Hill: $20.76 (survey)Jefferson: $23.00 (survey)Judith Basin: $20.76 (survey)Lake: $15.02 (survey)Lewis and Clark: $22.91 (survey)Liberty: $20.76 (survey)Lincoln: $20.10 (survey)McCone: $17.58 (survey)Madison: $22.80 (survey)Meagher: $23.00 (survey)Mineral: $15.02 (survey)Missoula: $35.77 (union)Musselshell: $20.76 (survey)Park: $23.00 (survey)Petroleum: $20.76 (survey)Phillips: $17.58 (survey)Pondera: $20.76 (survey)Powder River: $17.58 (survey)Powell: $23.00 (survey)Prairie: $17.58 (survey)Ravalli: $15.02 (survey)Richland: $17.58 (survey)Roosevelt: $13.59 (survey)Rosebud: $17.58 (survey)Sanders: $15.02 (survey)Sheridan: $17.58 (survey)Silver Bow: $35.77 (union)Stillwater: $20.76 (survey)Sweet Grass: $20.76 (survey)Teton: $20.76 (survey)Toole: $20.76 (survey)Treasure: $17.58 (survey)Valley: $17.58 (survey)Wheatland: $20.76 (survey)Wibaux: $17.58 (survey)Yellowstone: $35.77 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$17.58$20.76$23.00survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for construction laborers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$15$20$25$30$35$40/hrCarbon (Billings): market median $23.68, prevailing (union) $35.77, gap +$12.09Carbon (Billings)+$12.09Missoula (Missoula): market median $24.00, prevailing (union) $35.77, gap +$11.77Missoula (Missoula)+$11.77Broadwater (Helena): market median $23.53, prevailing (survey) $23.00, gap −$0.53Broadwater (Helena)−$0.53Cascade (Great Falls): market median $23.70, prevailing (survey) $19.64, gap −$4.06Cascade (Great Falls)−$4.06Gallatin (Bozeman): market median $26.77, prevailing (survey) $21.98, gap −$4.79Gallatin (Bozeman)−$4.79
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for construction laborers, metro counties in Montana.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CarbonUnion LABO1686-009 2021-05-01$23.05$12.72$35.77MT20260061
MissoulaUnion LABO1686-007 2021-05-01$23.05$12.72$35.77MT20260063
Silver BowUnion LABO1686-005 2021-05-01$23.05$12.72$35.77MT20260052
YellowstoneUnion LABO1686-009 2021-05-01$23.05$12.72$35.77MT20260064
BeaverheadSurvey SUMT2011-001 2011-01-04$17.77$5.23$23.00MT20260025
BroadwaterSurvey SUMT2011-003 2011-01-04$17.77$5.23$23.00MT20260027
Deer LodgeSurvey SUMT2011-006 2011-01-04$17.77$5.23$23.00MT20260030
GraniteSurvey SUMT2011-012 2011-01-04$17.77$5.23$23.00MT20260036
JeffersonSurvey SUMT2011-014 2011-01-04$17.77$5.23$23.00MT20260038
MeagherSurvey SUMT2011-035 2011-01-04$17.77$5.23$23.00MT20260059
ParkSurvey SUMT2011-021 2011-01-04$17.77$5.23$23.00MT20260045
PowellSurvey SUMT2011-024 2011-01-04$17.77$5.23$23.00MT20260048
Lewis and ClarkSurvey SUMT2011-016 2011-01-04$17.66$5.25$22.91MT20260040
MadisonSurvey SUMT2011-018 2011-01-04$17.50$5.30$22.80MT20260042
GallatinSurvey SUMT2011-009 2011-01-04$16.52$5.46$21.98MT20260033

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Montana prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Montana?

38.7kConstruction jobsMontana, 2026-09
+0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k50k1990199520002005201020152020202539kSep 2026
Construction employment in Montana (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at specialty trade contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just construction laborers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages. Across the 36 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 14,094 in 2015 to 21,099 in 2025, +49.7%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Rosebud County10224$111,779$2,150
Deer Lodge County1889$80,074$1,540
Richland County36183$76,715$1,475
Gallatin County8984,678$76,500$1,471
Fallon County1138$75,006$1,442
Yellowstone County5483,479$70,706$1,360
Cascade County2061,496$70,021$1,347
Missoula County4042,454$69,524$1,337
Park County101393$68,962$1,326
Lewis and Clark County2311,250$67,413$1,296
Silver Bow County71396$65,372$1,257
Custer County32114$65,154$1,253

Keep comparing

Construction laborer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Montana

More on Montana

Questions this page answers

How much do construction laborers make in Montana?

The median construction laborer in Montana earned $23.96 an hour ($49,830 a year) in May 2025, 6% above the national median of $22.66. The middle half earn $20.80–$28.24; the top 10% earn more than $30.76.

Where does Montana rank for construction laborer pay?

Montana ranks 19th of 51 states for construction laborer pay, with a median of $23.96 an hour, and 17th after adjusting for Montana's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.6, US = 100).

What is the union construction laborer rate in Montana?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for construction laborers in 4 counties, with a typical package of $35.77 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many construction laborers work in Montana?

BLS counted 4,590 construction laborers in Montana in May 2025, 9.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.27; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is construction laborer work growing in Montana?

The BLS employer survey count of construction laborers in Montana went from 4,070 in 2015 to 4,590 in 2025, +12.8%, and +13.9% since 2019. Montana's labor market agency projects +11.3% growth for construction laborers between 2024 and 2034, from 5,860 to 6,530 jobs.

How many construction laborer openings a year are there in Montana?

Montana projects about 550 openings a year for construction laborers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 120,000 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Montana and metro areas, SOC 47-2061. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Montana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.