Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Montana

Median $28.03 an hour for 920 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$28.03/hrMedian hourly wageMontana, May data
$58,290/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$16.90 – $33.4210th to 90th percentilehourly range
920Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Painter pay in Montana: the full range

Wage percentiles, MontanaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrMontana: 10th $16.90 · 25th $22.78 · median $28.03 · 75th $29.72 · 90th $33.42Montana$28.03$16.90$33.42United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters: Montana vs United States, May 2025.

Montana ranks 12th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 4th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.63). 920 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$16.90 – $22.78$35,160 – $47,390roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.78 – $29.72$47,390 – $61,810the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$29.72 – $33.42$61,810 – $69,510the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in Montana

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrBozeman: $29.25Bozeman$29.25Helena: $28.90Helena$28.90Great Falls: $28.01Great Falls$28.01Billings: $27.95Billings$27.95Missoula: $27.43Missoula$27.43
Median hourly wage for painters by metro area in Montana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Bozeman$18.06$29.25$28.54$34.452604% above
Helena$17.01$28.90$30.20$34.67503% above
Great Falls$18.13$28.01$28.94$31.6070about the same as
Billings$17.14$27.95$29.89$32.09120about the same as
Missoula$16.90$27.43$28.45$29.88902% below

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

Painter wages in Montana over time

Montana, 1999-2025MontanaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$28.03Montana$23.75United States
Median hourly wage for painters, Montana vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMontana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.90$26.86$12.86420
2000$13.84$25.88$13.10550
2001$14.03$25.50$13.66690
2002$14.67$26.25$13.98650
2003$14.80$25.90$14.12660
2004$13.60$23.18$14.55670
2005$13.44$22.16$14.81690
2006$13.64$21.78$15.00900
2007$14.63$22.72$15.42960
2008$15.53$23.22$15.851,080
2009$16.08$24.13$16.211,000
2010$16.73$24.70$16.48880
2011$17.11$24.49$17.04810
2012$17.12$24.01$16.92730
2013$16.51$22.82$17.01740
2014$16.26$22.11$17.29740
2015$15.51$21.07$17.59830
2016$16.74$22.45$18.06850
2017$17.20$22.59$18.25900
2018$17.93$22.99$18.721,000
2019$19.82$24.96$19.371,140
2020$21.09$26.23$20.251,140
2021$18.48$21.96$21.921,150
2022$18.48$20.33$22.161,170
2023$22.27$23.53$22.941,110
2024$23.52$24.14$23.40980
2025$28.03$28.03$23.75920

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Montana changed by +33.0% over the last ten years of data and by +12.3% since 2019.

Are there more painter jobs in Montana?

1.8Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.2× the US share, 13th of 51 states

BLS counted 920 painters in Montana in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 6%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.

Outlook for painters in Montana

+14.5%Projected growth in Montana2024–2034, state agency
110Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,140Jobs in 20241,300 projected for 2034
+3.0%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Montana's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +14.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,140 to 1,300, with about 110 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 920 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 painters in Montana

On federally funded construction in Montana, contractors must pay painters 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 $45.78 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $19.18). 52 of the 56 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Beaverhead County at $19.18). The market median for the state is $28.03.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MTBeaverhead: $19.18 (survey)Big Horn: $19.18 (survey)Blaine: $19.18 (survey)Broadwater: $19.18 (survey)Carbon: $45.78 (union)Carter: $19.18 (survey)Cascade: $45.78 (union)Chouteau: $19.18 (survey)Custer: $19.18 (survey)Daniels: $19.18 (survey)Dawson: $19.18 (survey)Deer Lodge: $19.18 (survey)Fallon: $19.18 (survey)Fergus: $19.18 (survey)Flathead: $19.18 (survey)Gallatin: $19.62 (survey)Garfield: $19.18 (survey)Glacier: $19.18 (survey)Golden Valley: $19.18 (survey)Granite: $19.18 (survey)Hill: $19.18 (survey)Jefferson: $19.18 (survey)Judith Basin: $19.18 (survey)Lake: $19.18 (survey)Lewis and Clark: $19.18 (survey)Liberty: $19.18 (survey)Lincoln: $19.18 (survey)McCone: $19.18 (survey)Madison: $19.18 (survey)Meagher: $19.18 (survey)Mineral: $19.18 (survey)Missoula: $25.19 (union)Musselshell: $19.18 (survey)Park: $19.18 (survey)Petroleum: $19.18 (survey)Phillips: $19.18 (survey)Pondera: $19.18 (survey)Powder River: $19.18 (survey)Powell: $19.18 (survey)Prairie: $19.18 (survey)Ravalli: $19.18 (survey)Richland: $19.18 (survey)Roosevelt: $19.18 (survey)Rosebud: $19.18 (survey)Sanders: $19.18 (survey)Sheridan: $19.18 (survey)Silver Bow: $19.18 (survey)Stillwater: $19.18 (survey)Sweet Grass: $19.18 (survey)Teton: $19.18 (survey)Toole: $19.18 (survey)Treasure: $19.18 (survey)Valley: $19.18 (survey)Wheatland: $19.18 (survey)Wibaux: $19.18 (survey)Yellowstone: $45.78 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hrsurvey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for painters 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)$10$20$30$40$50/hrCarbon (Billings): market median $27.95, prevailing (union) $45.78, gap +$17.83Carbon (Billings)+$17.83Cascade (Great Falls): market median $28.01, prevailing (union) $45.78, gap +$17.77Cascade (Great Falls)+$17.77Missoula (Missoula): market median $27.43, prevailing (union) $25.19, gap −$2.24Missoula (Missoula)−$2.24Gallatin (Bozeman): market median $29.25, prevailing (survey) $19.62, gap −$9.63Gallatin (Bozeman)−$9.63Broadwater (Helena): market median $28.90, prevailing (survey) $19.18, gap −$9.72Broadwater (Helena)−$9.72
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in Montana.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CarbonUnion PAIN1922-004 2021-11-01$26.39$19.39$45.78MT20260061
CascadeUnion PAIN1922-004 2021-11-01$26.39$19.39$45.78MT20260062
YellowstoneUnion PAIN1922-004 2021-11-01$26.39$19.39$45.78MT20260064
MissoulaUnion PAIN0260-003 2010-06-01$18.35$6.84$25.19MT20260063
GallatinSurvey SUMT2011-009 2011-01-04$19.62$0.00$19.62MT20260033
BeaverheadSurvey SUMT2011-001 2011-01-04$19.18$0.00$19.18MT20260025
Big HornSurvey SUMT2011-032 2011-01-04$19.18$0.00$19.18MT20260056
BlaineSurvey SUMT2011-002 2011-01-04$19.18$0.00$19.18MT20260026
BroadwaterSurvey SUMT2011-003 2011-01-04$19.18$0.00$19.18MT20260027
CarterSurvey SUMT2011-033 2011-01-04$19.18$0.00$19.18MT20260057
ChouteauSurvey SUMT2011-034 2011-01-04$19.18$0.00$19.18MT20260058
CusterSurvey SUMT2011-033 2011-01-04$19.18$0.00$19.18MT20260057
DanielsSurvey SUMT2011-004 2011-01-04$19.18$0.00$19.18MT20260028
DawsonSurvey SUMT2011-005 2011-01-04$19.18$0.00$19.18MT20260029
Deer LodgeSurvey SUMT2011-006 2011-01-04$19.18$0.00$19.18MT20260030

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.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Montana

More on Montana

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in Montana?

The median painter in Montana earned $28.03 an hour ($58,290 a year) in May 2025, 18% above the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $22.78–$29.72; the top 10% earn more than $33.42.

Where does Montana rank for painter pay?

Montana ranks 12th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $28.03 an hour, and 4th after adjusting for Montana's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.6, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in Montana?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 4 counties, with a typical package of $45.78 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many painters work in Montana?

BLS counted 920 painters in Montana in May 2025, 1.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.24; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is painter work growing in Montana?

Montana's labor market agency projects +14.5% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 1,140 to 1,300 jobs.

How many painter openings a year are there in Montana?

Montana projects about 110 openings a year for painters over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 24,900 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Montana and metro areas, SOC 47-2141. 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.