Bartenders Salary
In Montana, bartenders earn $26,010 at the median, or about $12.51 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $33K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $26,814 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 61.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Montana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $26K actually covers in Montana, month by month
About bartenders
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What this looks like in Montana
Pay for bartenders in Montana runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $34K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,129/month, which is 60.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for bartenders.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $26K. Top earners bring in $33K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
Bartenders salary by metro in Montana
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $27K | +4% | 740 |
| Helena | $26K | +1% | 390 |
| Missoula | $26K | -0% | 630 |
| Great Falls | $25K | -3% | 400 |
| Billings | $24K | -9% | 780 |
Compare to other states
Track bartenders salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a bartender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $26K, rent takes 60.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bartenders in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bartenders typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,602/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 70% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is bartender a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $26K here vs. $34K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for bartenders?
Montana pays $26K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $27K — below the national median.
How much do bartenders make in Montana?
The median is $26,010 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,940, and experienced bartenders can clear $32,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $26K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,865/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 60.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a bartenders salary go in Montana?
Montana has a Regional Price Parity of 97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bartenders salary is worth about $26,814 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bartenders get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.