Nurse Practitioners Salary
In Montana, nurse practitioners earn $137,210 at the median, or about $65.97 an hour. The range runs from $105K at the entry level to $167K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $141,454 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 13.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Montana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $137K get you in Montana?
About nurse practitioners
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What this looks like in Montana
Nurse practitioners pay in Montana tracks closely to the national median, $137K locally vs. $132K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 13.9% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level nurse practitioners (10th percentile) start around $105K. Mid-career wages sit at $137K. Top earners bring in $167K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Nurse Practitioners salary by metro in Montana
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $140K | +2% | 100 |
| Billings | $139K | +1% | 160 |
| Helena | $136K | -1% | 110 |
| Missoula | $132K | -4% | 140 |
| Great Falls | $130K | -5% | 150 |
Compare to other states
Track nurse practitioners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a nurse practitioner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $137K, rent takes 13.9% 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 nurse practitioners in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nurse practitioners typically earn — is $105K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,307/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 18% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nurse practitioner a high-paying job in Montana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $137K locally vs. $132K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Montana compare to the national average for nurse practitioners?
Montana pays $137K median vs. the U.S. average of $132K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $141K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nurse practitioners make in Montana?
The median is $137,210 a year, that works out to about $66 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $105,110, and experienced nurse practitioners can clear $166,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $137K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,129/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 13.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a nurse practitioners 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 nurse practitioners salary is worth about $141,454 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nurse practitioners 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.