Commercial and Industrial Designers Salary
Commercial and Industrial Designers in Montana make a median of $72,990 a year, or about $35.09 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $75,247 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 23.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Montana. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $73K get you in Montana?
About commercial and industrial designers
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What this looks like in Montana
Pay for commercial and industrial designers in Montana runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $84K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 24% 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 commercial and industrial designerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level commercial and industrial designers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track commercial and industrial designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial and industrial designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 24% 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 commercial and industrial designers in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial and industrial designers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,804/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is commercial and industrial designer a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $73K here vs. $84K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for commercial and industrial designers?
Montana pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do commercial and industrial designers make in Montana?
The median is $72,990 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,740, and experienced commercial and industrial designers can clear $94,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,711/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 24% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a commercial and industrial designers 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 commercial and industrial designers salary is worth about $75,247 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do commercial and industrial designers 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.