Chief Executives Salary
Chief Executives in Montana make a median of $182,340 a year, or about $87.66 an hour. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $432K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $187,979 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 10.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Montana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $182K actually covers in Montana, month by month
About chief executives
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What this looks like in Montana
Pay for chief executives in Montana runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $214K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 10.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Montana can be a reasonable trade-off for chief executives who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level chief executives (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $182K. Top earners bring in $432K or more, a $358K spread from bottom to top.
Chief Executives salary by metro in Montana
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | $227K | +24% | 100 |
| Great Falls | $218K | +20% | 40 |
| Bozeman | $200K | +10% | 90 |
| Helena | $174K | -5% | 90 |
| Missoula | $168K | -8% | 60 |
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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 chief executif afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $182K, rent takes 10.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chief executives in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chief executives typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,764/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chief executif a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $182K here vs. $214K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for chief executives?
Montana pays $182K median vs. the U.S. average of $214K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $188K — below the national median.
How much do chief executives make in Montana?
The median is $182,340 a year, that works out to about $88 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,970, and experienced chief executives can clear $432,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $182K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,510/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 10.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chief executives 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 chief executives salary is worth about $187,979 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chief executives 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.