Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Salary
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouses in Montana make a median of $41,390 a year, or about $19.9 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $42,670 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 40% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Montana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $41K get you in Montana?
About farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses
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What this looks like in Montana
Montana sits well above the national pay line for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,129/month, which is 39.9% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse salary by metro in Montana
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helena | $47K | +13% | 60 |
| Bozeman | $45K | +9% | 150 |
| Missoula | $38K | -9% | 90 |
| Billings | $36K | -13% | 140 |
Compare to other states
Track farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 39.9% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,685/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $41K here vs. $36K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses?
Montana pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses make in Montana?
The median is $41,390 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,080, and experienced farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses can clear $50,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,830/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 39.9% 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 farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse 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 farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse salary is worth about $42,670 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses 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.