Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In Montana, waiters and waitresses earn $23,370 at the median, or about $11.23 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $24,093 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 68.3% 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 $23K get you in Montana?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in Montana
Pay for waiters and waitresses in Montana runs about 34% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,129/month, which is 66.6% 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 waiters and waitressess.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $23K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in Montana
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $26K | +13% | 1,200 |
| Missoula | $23K | -1% | 930 |
| Helena | $23K | -1% | 520 |
| Billings | $23K | -2% | 1,320 |
| Great Falls | $22K | -5% | 450 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $23K, rent takes 66.6% 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 $500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for waiters and waitresses in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,316/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is waiters and waitress a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay runs 34% below the national median — $23K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
Montana pays $23K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $24K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in Montana?
The median is $23,370 a year, that works out to about $11 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,940, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $45,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $23K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,694/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 66.6% 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 waiters and waitresses 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 waiters and waitresses salary is worth about $24,093 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do waiters and waitresses 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.