Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Montana

Median $38.44 an hour for 1,860 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$38.44/hrMedian hourly wageMontana, May data
$79,960/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.20 – $48.4910th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,860Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Plumber pay in Montana: the full range

Wage percentiles, MontanaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrMontana: 10th $23.20 · 25th $29.32 · median $38.44 · 75th $45.37 · 90th $48.49Montana$38.44$23.20$48.49United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters: Montana vs United States, May 2025.

Montana ranks 10th of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 8th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $40.63). 1,860 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$23.20 – $29.32$48,250 – $60,990roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$29.32 – $45.37$60,990 – $94,370the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$45.37 – $48.49$94,370 – $100,860the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Montana

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrBillings: $39.27Billings$39.27Bozeman: $39.09Bozeman$39.09Missoula: $38.34Missoula$38.34Great Falls: $37.07Great Falls$37.07
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters by metro area in Montana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Billings$24.94$39.27$51.233602% above
Bozeman$26.77$39.09$46.853502% above
Missoula$23.15$38.34$47.30290about the same as
Great Falls$23.08$37.07$47.192404% below

Plumber wages in Montana over time

Montana, 1999-2025MontanaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$38.44Montana$30.67United States
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, Montana vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMontana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$19.33$37.35$17.41410
2000$22.74$42.51$18.19680
2001$21.18$38.50$18.61850
2002$21.88$39.16$19.311,030
2003$22.19$38.83$19.691,090
2004$23.16$39.47$19.851,140
2005$21.50$35.44$20.271,720
2006$22.11$35.31$20.561,870
2007$21.45$33.31$21.201,970
2008$23.02$34.42$21.941,780
2009$23.39$35.10$22.271,530
2010$25.58$37.77$22.431,300
2011$24.56$35.15$22.961,320
2012$24.66$34.58$23.621,610
2013$24.66$34.08$24.131,920
2014$24.65$33.52$24.362,060
2015$27.41$37.23$24.342,100
2016$28.52$38.26$24.741,810
2017$30.78$40.43$25.281,890
2018$28.77$36.89$25.921,990
2019$28.50$35.89$26.522,310
2020$27.41$34.10$27.082,090
2021$29.96$35.60$28.791,650
2022$36.00$39.60$28.892,020
2023$37.27$39.38$29.591,820
2024$37.47$38.46$30.271,810
2025$38.44$38.44$30.671,860

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Montana changed by +3.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Montana

On federally funded construction in Montana, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 31 of the 56 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $61.47 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $36.62). 25 of the 56 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Big Horn County at $36.62). The market median for the state is $38.44.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MTBeaverhead: $66.37 (union)Big Horn: $36.62 (survey)Blaine: $36.62 (survey)Broadwater: $66.37 (union)Carbon: $61.47 (union)Carter: $61.47 (union)Cascade: $66.37 (union)Chouteau: $36.62 (survey)Custer: $61.47 (union)Daniels: $36.62 (survey)Dawson: $61.47 (union)Deer Lodge: $66.37 (union)Fallon: $61.47 (union)Fergus: $36.62 (survey)Flathead: $52.11 (union)Gallatin: $66.37 (union)Garfield: $61.47 (union)Glacier: $36.62 (survey)Golden Valley: $36.62 (survey)Granite: $66.37 (union)Hill: $36.62 (survey)Jefferson: $66.37 (union)Judith Basin: $36.62 (survey)Lake: $52.11 (union)Lewis and Clark: $66.37 (union)Liberty: $36.62 (survey)Lincoln: $52.11 (union)McCone: $36.62 (survey)Madison: $66.37 (union)Meagher: $66.37 (union)Mineral: $52.11 (union)Missoula: $60.08 (union)Musselshell: $36.62 (survey)Park: $66.37 (union)Petroleum: $36.64 (survey)Phillips: $61.47 (union)Pondera: $36.62 (survey)Powder River: $61.47 (union)Powell: $60.08 (union)Prairie: $36.62 (survey)Ravalli: $52.11 (union)Richland: $36.62 (survey)Roosevelt: $36.62 (survey)Rosebud: $61.47 (union)Sanders: $52.11 (union)Sheridan: $36.62 (survey)Silver Bow: $66.37 (union)Stillwater: $36.62 (survey)Sweet Grass: $36.62 (survey)Teton: $36.62 (survey)Toole: $36.62 (survey)Treasure: $36.62 (survey)Valley: $61.47 (union)Wheatland: $36.62 (survey)Wibaux: $36.62 (survey)Yellowstone: $61.47 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$61.47survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for plumbers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$30$40$50$60$70/hrCascade (Great Falls): market median $37.07, prevailing (union) $66.37, gap +$29.30Cascade (Great Falls)+$29.30Broadwater (Montana): market median $38.44, prevailing (union) $66.37, gap +$27.93Broadwater (Montana)+$27.93Gallatin (Bozeman): market median $39.09, prevailing (union) $66.37, gap +$27.28Gallatin (Bozeman)+$27.28Carbon (Billings): market median $39.27, prevailing (union) $61.47, gap +$22.20Carbon (Billings)+$22.20Missoula (Missoula): market median $38.34, prevailing (union) $60.08, gap +$21.74Missoula (Missoula)+$21.74
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Montana.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BeaverheadUnion PLUM0041-008 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260025
BroadwaterUnion PLUM0041-008 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260027
CascadeUnion PLUM0041-013 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260062
Deer LodgeUnion PLUM0041-008 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260030
GallatinUnion PLUM0041-008 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260033
GraniteUnion PLUM0041-008 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260036
JeffersonUnion PLUM0041-008 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260038
Lewis and ClarkUnion PLUM0041-008 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260040
MadisonUnion PLUM0041-006 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260042
MeagherUnion PLUM0041-008 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260059
ParkUnion PLUM0041-008 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260045
Silver BowUnion PLUM0041-008 2025-07-01$46.45$19.92$66.37MT20260052
CarbonUnion PLUM0030-012 2024-09-01$41.00$20.47$61.47MT20260061
CarterUnion PLUM0030-006 2024-09-01$41.00$20.47$61.47MT20260057
CusterUnion PLUM0030-006 2024-09-01$41.00$20.47$61.47MT20260057

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. 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?

39.8kConstruction jobsMontana, 2026-08
+0.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k50k1990199520002005201020152020202540kAug 2026
Construction employment in Montana (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just plumbers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Broadwater County22$87,317$1,679
Cascade County691$84,953$1,634
Gallatin County1,126$80,774$1,553
Missoula County796$79,681$1,532
Yellowstone County928$77,527$1,491
Deer Lodge County30$75,712$1,456
Silver Bow County76$74,896$1,440
Lewis and Clark County348$68,626$1,320
Flathead County641$65,726$1,264
Custer County22$65,711$1,264
Sanders County25$64,738$1,245
Jefferson County90$59,664$1,147

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Montana

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Montana?

The median plumber in Montana earned $38.44 an hour ($79,960 a year) in May 2025, 25% above the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $29.32–$45.37; the top 10% earn more than $48.49.

Where does Montana rank for plumber pay?

Montana ranks 10th of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $38.44 an hour, and 8th after adjusting for Montana's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.6, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Montana?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 31 counties, with a typical package of $61.47 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Montana?

BLS counted 1,860 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Montana in May 2025, 3.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.22; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Montana and metro areas, SOC 47-2152.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.