Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals Salary
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals in Montana make a median of $37,010 a year, or about $17.79 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $38,155 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 44.7% 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 $37K get you in Montana?
About farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
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What this looks like in Montana
Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals pay in Montana tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,129/month, which is 44.1% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals salary by metro in Montana
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | $37K | +0% | 130 |
| Missoula | $37K | -1% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals 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, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animal afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 44.1% 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, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,837/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animal a high-paying job in Montana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Montana compare to the national average for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals?
Montana pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals make in Montana?
The median is $37,010 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,620, and experienced farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals can clear $55,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,558/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 44.1% 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, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals 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, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals salary is worth about $38,155 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals 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.