Data Scientist Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in Montana is $100,490/year ($48.31/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $167K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $103,598 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 17.8% 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 $100K actually covers in Montana, month by month
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What this looks like in Montana
Pay for data scientists in Montana runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $120K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 18.2% 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 data scientists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $167K or more, a $100K spread from bottom to top.
Data Scientists salary by metro in Montana
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $121K | +20% | 50 |
| Billings | $97K | -3% | 50 |
| Missoula | $91K | -10% | 30 |
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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 data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 18.2% 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 data scientists in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,396/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is data scientist a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $100K here vs. $120K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for data scientists?
Montana pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $104K — below the national median.
How much do data scientists make in Montana?
The median is $100,490 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,120, and experienced data scientists can clear $167,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,188/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 18.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a data scientists 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 data scientists salary is worth about $103,598 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do data scientists 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.