Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Others in Montana make a median of $29,720 a year, or about $14.29 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $30,639 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 53.7% 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 $30K get you in Montana?
About food preparation and serving related workers, all others
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What this looks like in Montana
Pay for food preparation and serving related workers, all other in Montana runs about 17% below 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 53.7% 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for food preparation and serving related workers, all others.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level food preparation and serving related workers, all others (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary by metro in Montana
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | $30K | +2% | 100 |
| Missoula | $27K | -8% | 50 |
| Great Falls | $27K | -11% | 30 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food preparation and serving related workers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 53.7% 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 $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food preparation and serving related workers, all others in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation and serving related workers, all others typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,453/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 78% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food preparation and serving related workers, all other a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $30K here vs. $36K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for food preparation and serving related workers, all others?
Montana pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $31K — below the national median.
How much do food preparation and serving related workers, all others make in Montana?
The median is $29,720 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,210, and experienced food preparation and serving related workers, all others can clear $38,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,101/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 53.7% 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 food preparation and serving related workers, all other 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 food preparation and serving related workers, all other salary is worth about $30,639 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food preparation and serving related workers, all others 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.