Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary
In Montana, tank car, truck, and ship loaders earn $80,070 at the median, or about $38.5 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $82,546 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 22.3% 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 $80K get you in Montana?
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What this looks like in Montana
Montana sits well above the national pay line for tank car, truck, and ship loaders, local pay runs about 36% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 22.2% 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 tank car, truck, and ship loaderss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level tank car, truck, and ship loaders (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders salary by metro in Montana
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | $83K | +4% | 50 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tank car, truck, and ship loader afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 22.2% 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 tank car, truck, and ship loaders in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tank car, truck, and ship loaders typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,021/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is tank car, truck, and ship loader a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay is 36% above the national median — $80K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for tank car, truck, and ship loaders?
Montana pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tank car, truck, and ship loaders make in Montana?
The median is $80,070 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,010, and experienced tank car, truck, and ship loaders can clear $108,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,092/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 22.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a tank car, truck, and ship loaders 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 tank car, truck, and ship loaders salary is worth about $82,546 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tank car, truck, and ship loaders 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.