Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Montana is $84,610/year ($40.68/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $120K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $87,227 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 21.1% 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 $85K actually covers in Montana, month by month
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Montana
Montana sits well above the national pay line for surveyors, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $75K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 21.2% 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. Combined with manageable housing costs, Montana offers a genuinely strong financial position for surveyors at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $120K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Montana
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $86K | +2% | 50 |
| Billings | $85K | +0% | 60 |
| Missoula | $82K | -3% | 50 |
| Helena | $79K | -6% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
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 surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 21.2% 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 surveyors in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,843/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is surveyor a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $85K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for surveyors?
Montana pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Montana?
The median is $84,610 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,720, and experienced surveyors can clear $120,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,335/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 21.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a surveyors 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 surveyors salary is worth about $87,227 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surveyors 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.