Electrical Engineers Salary
In Montana, electrical engineers earn $87,360 at the median, or about $42 an hour. The range runs from $73K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $90,062 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 20.4% 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 $87K actually covers in Montana, month by month
About electrical engineers
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What this looks like in Montana
Pay for electrical engineers in Montana runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $121K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 20.6% 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 electrical engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $73K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Engineers salary by metro in Montana
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helena | $105K | +20% | 50 |
| Billings | $103K | +18% | 210 |
| Bozeman | $100K | +14% | 100 |
| Missoula | $89K | +2% | 70 |
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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 electrical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 20.6% 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 electrical engineers in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical engineers typically earn — is $73K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,707/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is electrical engineer a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $87K here vs. $121K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for electrical engineers?
Montana pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $121K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do electrical engineers make in Montana?
The median is $87,360 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,910, and experienced electrical engineers can clear $133,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,483/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 20.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electrical engineers 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 electrical engineers salary is worth about $90,062 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical engineers 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.