Montana was 28.4% below the U.S. median for Economists. It ranked 32 of 41 state areas with a published annual median. Neither comparison adjusts for cost of living, benefits, experience, employer mix, or hours.
Price-level context
What the local median may buy
BEA's 2024 all-items price index for Montana was 94.6, or 5.4% below the national price level. Its housing index was 84.6.
National-price-dollar proxy
$94,395
WageScope divides the published Economists median by the BEA all-items index. This is a price-level comparison, not take-home pay, a personal budget, or a quality-of-life score.
Use the local pay range, same-source bench marks, job scale, price level, and survey care marks as separate facts. This guide stays tied to SOC 19-3011 and BLS area 30.
Questions, answered
Economists pay in Montana: common questions
What is the median wage for Economists in Montana?
The May 2025 BLS OEWS release published a median of $89,340 per year for Economists in Montana. This describes an occupation-area estimate, not a promised offer or an individual's pay.
Is Economists pay higher in Montana than nationally?
Montana's published median was 28.4% below the U.S. median for the same occupation and release.
Does the wage estimate adjust for cost of living in Montana?
No. The BLS wage is nominal. WageScope separately shows BEA's 2024 all-items Regional Price Parity of 94.6 and a transparent national-price-dollar proxy.
How many Economists jobs does BLS estimate in Montana?
BLS published an employment estimate of 90 wage and salary jobs for this exact row. It is a survey estimate, not a current opening count or forecast.
From market data to your evidence
Tailor for a real Economists job, not a generic wage number.
Pick an eligible listing, then MeritLog can help you prepare from experience you have confirmed. WageScope never turns a BLS estimate into a qualification or résumé claim.
The May 2025 BLS OEWS estimate puts the Economists median in Montana at $89,340 per year. Median means the middle of the published wage spread. It is not one worker's pay. It is not a job offer. The row is tied to SOC 19-3011 and BLS area 30.
BLS lists 90 wage and salary jobs for this exact role-place row. That is a survey estimate. It is not a count of open posts. The local mean is $97,330 per year. Mean uses all wage values behind the estimate, so high or low values can move it away from the median.
Montana's Economists median is 28.4% below the U.S. Economists median of $124,720 on the same published median. The comparison uses the same SOC code and source period. It does not add price levels, taxes, benefits, hours, or a person's work history.
This page exists because the BLS artifact has one row for SOC 19-3011 and area 30. SOC 19-3011 names Economists. Area 30 names Montana. Both keys must match before WageScope can show or index this answer.
The 19-3011/30 row reports 90 wage and salary jobs, 0.18 jobs per 1,000 local jobs, and a 1.58 location quotient. Each value stays under the same two source keys.
For 19-3011/30, the annual median is $89,340 per year, while the matching mean is $97,330 per year. The row is published with annual and hourly fields. WageScope does not switch units to fill a blank.
Area 30 reports 511,580 wage and salary jobs across all covered occupations. Its annual mean is $60,880. Its annual median is $48,740. The employment RSE is 0%. The mean-wage RSE is 0.3%. These are facts for the whole area. They do not replace the 19-3011 row.
The all-jobs wage ladder in Montana runs from $29,390 at the 10th percentile to $100,610 at the 90th percentile. The 25th percentile is $37,210. The median is $48,740. The 75th percentile is $72,640. This is a place check, not a pay range for Economists.
The source rows below are the six largest detailed roles in the bounded area file. Each keeps its own SOC code. They help a reader spot-check area 30. They do not show related skills or a path into Economists.
1. Area 30, SOC 35-3023, Fast Food and Counter Workers: 14,960 jobs, $29,090 annual median, 29.24 jobs per 1,000, and 1.18 location quotient.
2. Area 30, SOC 41-2031, Retail Salespersons: 13,490 jobs, $36,270 annual median, 26.36 jobs per 1,000, and 1.05 location quotient.
3. Area 30, SOC 41-2011, Cashiers: 12,170 jobs, $34,190 annual median, 23.79 jobs per 1,000, and 1.2 location quotient.
4. Area 30, SOC 11-1021, General and Operations Managers: 11,840 jobs, $91,380 annual median, 23.15 jobs per 1,000, and 1.03 location quotient.
Pay range
Read the Montana wage ladder for Economists
The 10th percentile is $69,850 per year. The 25th percentile is $73,920 per year. The median is $89,340 per year. The 75th percentile is $105,050 per year. The 90th percentile is $116,210 per year.
A percentile is a rank point, not a career stage. The 10th percentile does not mean new-worker pay. The 90th percentile does not mean a wage that comes after a set number of years. The points show how the wage values spread in the source. They do not say why one job sits at one point.
The middle half runs from $73,920 per year to $105,050 per year. The 10th-to-90th span is $46,360. Use the full ladder when a job post sits far from the median.
Montana has a annual median of $89,340 per year. No exact state row is linked for this area. The U.S. row has $124,720 per year. WageScope keeps annual and hourly values apart.
A state comparison is not available for Montana. Montana is 28.4% below the United States on the same published median. A gap can reflect many things that are not in this row. WageScope reports the gap but does not name a cause.
The state and U.S. rows are bench marks, not replacements. They do not fill missing local facts. A state can hold many local labor markets. A national row can hold many states. Read the local row first, then use the broader rows to see scale.
Montana ranks 32 of 41 among states and territories with a published annual median for Economists. The list keeps one SOC code, one map type, one wage metric, and one BLS release. It skips rows without the matching median.
Rank 32 of 41 is not a place score. A small wage gap can move a row several spots. The rank does not add local prices, job count, concentration, commute, taxes, or work rules. Use it only to find where the published median falls inside this like-for-like set.
The nearby rows below are the closest ranks, not chosen cities. Their pay, job counts, and local shares can differ. Open a peer page before making a deeper comparison. A title and one number are not enough for a move or pay choice.
29. Maine has a Economists median of $91,480 per year, 70 estimated jobs, and a location quotient of 0.9.
30. Nevada has a Economists median of $91,340 per year, 70 estimated jobs, and a location quotient of 0.42.
31. Oklahoma has a Economists median of $89,980 per year, 80 estimated jobs, and a location quotient of 0.4.
33. New Hampshire has a Economists median of $86,130 per year, 50 estimated jobs, and a location quotient of 0.69.
34. Wisconsin has a Economists median of $84,000 per year, 280 estimated jobs, and a location quotient of 0.83.
Pay leaders
Where Economists medians lead among states and territories
The rows below use the same SOC 19-3011, the same annual median, the same May 2025 BLS release, and the same state map type. District of Columbia has the highest published median in this set, at $167,590 per year. Montana sits at $89,340 per year.
A pay lead is one fact. It does not show the size of the job base. It does not show how common Economists is in the local mix. It also does not add local prices. The bullets keep the median, job count, and location quotient together so a high wage is not read as a full market score.
Use this list to choose a deeper pair, not to choose a place. Open the two local pages. Check the full wage ladder, the job scale, the survey care marks, and the exact BEA price row when present. A missing median stays out of this rank instead of becoming zero.
1. District of Columbia has a Economists median of $167,590 per year, or $78,250 above Montana. BLS lists 3,000 jobs there, compared with 90 in Montana. The location quotient is 37.34.
2. New Jersey has a Economists median of $167,550 per year, or $78,210 above Montana. BLS lists 280 jobs there, compared with 90 in Montana. The location quotient is 0.57.
3. Delaware has a Economists median of $159,120 per year, or $69,780 above Montana. BLS lists 70 jobs there, compared with 90 in Montana. The location quotient is 1.22.
Job-base leaders
Where BLS counts the most Economists jobs
District of Columbia has the largest published state job estimate for Economists in this same-source set, at 3,000 jobs. Montana has 90. The count shows covered job scale, not open posts.
A large job base can have a lower median than a smaller one. It can also have a location quotient near or below 1. That is why WageScope does not blend job count, pay, and local share. Each field keeps its name and unit. The rows below let you compare all three without making one score.
Current MeritLog listings can add a dated view of employer-title matches. They do not change this May 2025 order. A place with few current cards can still have a large BLS job estimate. A place with several cards can still have a smaller estimate. The sources use different clocks and scopes.
1. District of Columbia has 3,000 estimated Economists jobs, a gap of 2,910 jobs from Montana. Its median is $167,590 per year, or $78,250 above Montana. Its location quotient is 37.34.
2. Maryland has 1,130 estimated Economists jobs, a gap of 1,040 jobs from Montana. Its median is $144,680 per year, or $55,340 above Montana. Its location quotient is 3.56.
3. Massachusetts has 1,030 estimated Economists jobs, a gap of 940 jobs from Montana. Its median is $106,380 per year, or $17,040 above Montana. Its location quotient is 2.48.
Local-share leaders
Where Economists takes the largest share of local jobs
District of Columbia has the highest published location quotient in this state set, at 37.34. Montana has 1.58. A value above 1 means the role's local job share is larger than its national share.
A high quotient can come from a small local job base. It does not prove more jobs, more posts, faster growth, or higher pay. The bullets keep each quotient beside its BLS job count and median. This lets a reader see when the three measures point in different ways.
Use this list to ask where Economists is a large part of the local mix. Use the employment list to ask where BLS counts the most jobs. Use the pay list to ask where the median is highest. None of those lists decides where a person should work.
1. District of Columbia has a location quotient of 37.34, a gap of 35.76 from Montana. BLS lists 3,000 Economists jobs and a median of $167,590 per year, or $78,250 above Montana.
2. Maryland has a location quotient of 3.56, a gap of 1.98 from Montana. BLS lists 1,130 Economists jobs and a median of $144,680 per year, or $55,340 above Montana.
3. Massachusetts has a location quotient of 2.48, a gap of 0.90 from Montana. BLS lists 1,030 Economists jobs and a median of $106,380 per year, or $17,040 above Montana.
Job scale and share
How common Economists is in Montana
BLS lists 90 Economists jobs in Montana. It also lists 0.18 jobs per 1,000 local jobs. Jobs per 1,000 turns the count into a rate. It helps compare places of different size. It does not show open posts or hiring speed.
The location quotient is 1.58. A value of 1 means Economists has the same share of local jobs as it has across the nation. This row is higher than 1. The quotient is a share check, not a wage or a growth measure.
Read the three values as separate facts. Employment asks how many covered jobs BLS estimated. Jobs per 1,000 asks how much of the local job base the role takes. Location quotient asks how that share compares with the national share. None of them tells you how many posts are open today.
The all-occupations median in Montana is $48,740 per year. The Economists median is $89,340 per year. Economists is 83.3% above the local all-occupations median on the same published median. This compares one role with the full covered job mix.
The nearby role medians below come from the bounded detailed-role table for Montana. They are close by wage, not by task. A small wage gap does not mean two jobs need the same skill or lead to the same career. Official titles keep their own SOC codes and source rows.
Use the list to spot the local wage mix around Economists. Then open the role page you mean. A role can have a similar median and a very different job count or local share. The pay number alone cannot show fit, demand, or a path between jobs.
1. General and Operations Managers, SOC 11-1021, has a Montana median of $91,380 per year. BLS lists 11,840 jobs and a location quotient of 1.03.
2. Registered Nurses, SOC 29-1141, has a Montana median of $85,280 per year. BLS lists 10,950 jobs and a location quotient of 0.99.
3. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers, SOC 47-1011, has a Montana median of $76,910 per year. BLS lists 4,350 jobs and a location quotient of 1.63.
Area job mix
The largest detailed roles in Montana
Fast Food and Counter Workers is the largest detailed occupation in the bounded Montana table, at 14,960 jobs. Economists has 90 jobs in its exact role-place row. The two counts show where this role sits beside other large parts of the local job base.
The all-occupations job count is 511,580. The detailed list below is only a bounded view of that larger mix. It does not sum to every local job. It does not include a blank role as zero. It helps explain why one role's wage and job count should not stand in for the whole area.
A large role can have a lower median. A smaller role can have a higher one. Job count does not show current posts, job quality, or growth. Use the list to see local scale. Then keep Economists's own median, spread, and share in their own fields.
1. Fast Food and Counter Workers has 14,960 jobs in Montana, a gap of 14,870 from Economists. Its median is $29,090 per year, or $60,250 below Economists. Its location quotient is 1.18.
2. Retail Salespersons has 13,490 jobs in Montana, a gap of 13,400 from Economists. Its median is $36,270 per year, or $53,070 below Economists. Its location quotient is 1.05.
3. Cashiers has 12,170 jobs in Montana, a gap of 12,080 from Economists. Its median is $34,190 per year, or $55,150 below Economists. Its location quotient is 1.2.
Area pay mix
Published role medians around Montana
General and Operations Managers has the highest published median in the bounded Montana role table, at $91,380 per year. Economists has $89,340 per year. This puts the role beside a local pay range without blending the source rows.
The local all-occupations median is $48,740 per year. A role above that mark is not better. A role below it is not worse. The mark only shows where the role's published median sits against the full covered job mix. Job tasks, level, hours, and work setting are separate facts.
The bullets keep each SOC title, job count, median, and local share together. Use them to find a role page worth opening. Do not use a close median as proof that two roles share skills or that one is a path to the other.
1. General and Operations Managers has a median of $91,380 per year in Montana, or $2,040 above Economists. BLS lists 11,840 jobs, compared with 90 for Economists. Its location quotient is 1.03.
2. Registered Nurses has a median of $85,280 per year in Montana, or $4,060 below Economists. BLS lists 10,950 jobs, compared with 90 for Economists. Its location quotient is 0.99.
3. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers has a median of $76,910 per year in Montana, or $12,430 below Economists. BLS lists 4,350 jobs, compared with 90 for Economists. Its location quotient is 1.63.
Area role shares
Roles with the largest local share in Montana
Bartenders has the highest location quotient in the bounded Montana role table, at 2.16. Economists has 1.58. Both values compare a local job share with the matching national share.
A quotient above 1 means the role takes a larger share of local jobs than it does across the nation. It does not mean more jobs than every other role. It does not mean open posts, growth, or high pay. The job count and median beside each row answer those other narrow questions.
The local role-share mix can differ a lot from the pay mix. Read both lists. Then compare Economists with the same SOC code in another place. This keeps a broad area pattern from replacing the exact role-place row.
1. Bartenders has a location quotient of 2.16 in Montana, a gap of 0.58 from Economists. BLS lists 5,370 jobs and a median of $26,010 per year, or $63,330 below Economists.
2. Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners has a location quotient of 1.9 in Montana, a gap of 0.32 from Economists. BLS lists 5,380 jobs and a median of $35,740 per year, or $53,600 below Economists.
3. Carpenters has a location quotient of 1.83 in Montana, a gap of 0.25 from Economists. BLS lists 4,030 jobs and a median of $58,820 per year, or $30,520 below Economists.
Price-level view
What $89,340 may mean after the Montana price level
BEA's 2024 all-items price index for Montana is 94.6. The U.S. level is 100. The local level is 5.4% below that mark. This is a broad price comparison. It is not a personal budget.
WageScope divides the $89,340 Economists median by 94.6 divided by 100. The result is $94,395 in national-price dollars per year. This proxy keeps the math clear. It is not take-home pay and does not set a move target.
Housing is 84.6. Goods are 96.0. Utilities are 72.3. Other services are 98.7. The parts do not move as one. WageScope uses BEA's all-items index for the proxy and does not make its own basket.
The employment RSE for this Economists row is 10.9%. The mean-wage RSE is 2%. RSE means relative standard error. It is a survey precision flag. A smaller value often means less sampling uncertainty. It is not the chance that one person's pay is right or wrong.
The employment RSE belongs to the 90 job estimate. The mean-wage RSE belongs to the $97,330 mean. BLS does not give the same RSE field for the median or every percentile. WageScope does not move an RSE from one field to another.
A local row can change in a new release. A small role-place sample can also have more survey uncertainty than a broad national row. Keep the May 2025 date next to the value. Do not mix a newer job post with the BLS date as if both facts came from one clock.
The job block looks for strict employer-title matches to Economists. It uses a Montana place filter only when the public place list has an exact approved match. If that match is not safe, the page says the jobs are not narrowed to this place. A false negative is safer than showing a different role.
Each card keeps its employer, place, source, and seen date. Job cards can change without changing this guide. They do not count toward the 1,500-word content floor. A listing range does not replace the $89,340 BLS median. The listing and survey answer different questions.
Open one listing. Check its level, work place, pay range, and needs. Then tailor with work facts you can support. Do not turn a wage, job count, rank, or price proxy into a résumé claim. The public page is read only. It does not save a job or start a draft on load.
What the Economists row for Montana does not claim
The row does not say what one person earns. It does not promise a job, offer, raise, or move result. It does not say why the local median differs from the U.S. row. It does not add tips, bonus pay, stock, benefits, taxes, or work hours unless those items are in the BLS wage measure.
The 90 job estimate is not a live opening count. The location quotient of 1.58 is not a growth score. Rank 32 of 41 is not a place score. The 94.6 price index is not a personal budget.
Use the row for one clear task. Read the May 2025 wage spread for SOC 19-3011 in BLS area 30. Compare the same metric with the state and U.S. rows. Add the separate 2024 price level when present. Inspect a dated job match. Then use confirmed work facts for a résumé.
Are the current job listings included in the BLS wage calculation?
No. MeritLog shows eligible live public-catalog listings separately, with their own source and observation date. Posted pay never changes the official BLS distribution.
5. Area 30, SOC 29-1141, Registered Nurses: 10,950 jobs, $85,280 annual median, 21.41 jobs per 1,000, and 0.99 location quotient.
6. Area 30, SOC 31-1120, Home Health and Personal Care Aides: 10,400 jobs, $36,630 annual median, 20.32 jobs per 1,000, and 0.73 location quotient.
4. Maryland has a Economists median of $144,680 per year, or $55,340 above Montana. BLS lists 1,130 jobs there, compared with 90 in Montana. The location quotient is 3.56.
5. Kansas has a Economists median of $138,790 per year, or $49,450 above Montana. BLS lists 80 jobs there, compared with 90 in Montana. The location quotient is 0.5.
6. Virginia has a Economists median of $137,590 per year, or $48,250 above Montana. BLS lists 950 jobs there, compared with 90 in Montana. The location quotient is 2.01.
7. New York has a Economists median of $136,660 per year, or $47,320 above Montana. BLS lists 910 jobs there, compared with 90 in Montana. The location quotient is 0.82.
8. North Carolina has a Economists median of $136,150 per year, or $46,810 above Montana. BLS lists 290 jobs there, compared with 90 in Montana. The location quotient is 0.52.
4. Virginia has 950 estimated Economists jobs, a gap of 860 jobs from Montana. Its median is $137,590 per year, or $48,250 above Montana. Its location quotient is 2.01.
5. New York has 910 estimated Economists jobs, a gap of 820 jobs from Montana. Its median is $136,660 per year, or $47,320 above Montana. Its location quotient is 0.82.
6. California has 860 estimated Economists jobs, a gap of 770 jobs from Montana. Its median is $119,410 per year, or $30,070 above Montana. Its location quotient is 0.41.
7. Pennsylvania has 560 estimated Economists jobs, a gap of 470 jobs from Montana. Its median is $115,000 per year, or $25,660 above Montana. Its location quotient is 0.81.
8. Texas has 560 estimated Economists jobs, a gap of 470 jobs from Montana. Its median is $121,420 per year, or $32,080 above Montana. Its location quotient is 0.34.
4. Alaska has a location quotient of 2.18, a gap of 0.60 from Montana. BLS lists 80 Economists jobs and a median of $111,040 per year, or $21,700 above Montana.
5. Virginia has a location quotient of 2.01, a gap of 0.43 from Montana. BLS lists 950 Economists jobs and a median of $137,590 per year, or $48,250 above Montana.
6. Montana has a location quotient of 1.58, a gap of 0.00 from Montana. BLS lists 90 Economists jobs and a median of $89,340 per year, or $0 above Montana.
7. Minnesota has a location quotient of 1.48, a gap of 0.10 from Montana. BLS lists 500 Economists jobs and a median of $105,120 per year, or $15,780 above Montana.
8. Oregon has a location quotient of 1.43, a gap of 0.15 from Montana. BLS lists 320 Economists jobs and a median of $122,120 per year, or $32,780 above Montana.
4. Accountants and Auditors, SOC 13-2011, has a Montana median of $75,810 per year. BLS lists 4,730 jobs and a location quotient of 0.99.
5. Business Operations Specialists, All Other, SOC 13-1199, has a Montana median of $74,990 per year. BLS lists 4,760 jobs and a location quotient of 1.33.
6. First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers, SOC 43-1011, has a Montana median of $62,550 per year. BLS lists 4,030 jobs and a location quotient of 0.85.
7. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, SOC 53-3032, has a Montana median of $58,870 per year. BLS lists 7,830 jobs and a location quotient of 1.15.
8. Carpenters, SOC 47-2031, has a Montana median of $58,820 per year. BLS lists 4,030 jobs and a location quotient of 1.83.
4. General and Operations Managers has 11,840 jobs in Montana, a gap of 11,750 from Economists. Its median is $91,380 per year, or $2,040 above Economists. Its location quotient is 1.03.
5. Registered Nurses has 10,950 jobs in Montana, a gap of 10,860 from Economists. Its median is $85,280 per year, or $4,060 below Economists. Its location quotient is 0.99.
6. Home Health and Personal Care Aides has 10,400 jobs in Montana, a gap of 10,310 from Economists. Its median is $36,630 per year, or $52,710 below Economists. Its location quotient is 0.73.
7. Office Clerks, General has 10,390 jobs in Montana, a gap of 10,300 from Economists. Its median is $46,480 per year, or $42,860 below Economists. Its location quotient is 1.28.
8. Stockers and Order Fillers has 8,900 jobs in Montana, a gap of 8,810 from Economists. Its median is $39,050 per year, or $50,290 below Economists. Its location quotient is 0.95.
4. Accountants and Auditors has a median of $75,810 per year in Montana, or $13,530 below Economists. BLS lists 4,730 jobs, compared with 90 for Economists. Its location quotient is 0.99.
5. Business Operations Specialists, All Other has a median of $74,990 per year in Montana, or $14,350 below Economists. BLS lists 4,760 jobs, compared with 90 for Economists. Its location quotient is 1.33.
6. First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers has a median of $62,550 per year in Montana, or $26,790 below Economists. BLS lists 4,030 jobs, compared with 90 for Economists. Its location quotient is 0.85.
7. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers has a median of $58,870 per year in Montana, or $30,470 below Economists. BLS lists 7,830 jobs, compared with 90 for Economists. Its location quotient is 1.15.
8. Carpenters has a median of $58,820 per year in Montana, or $30,520 below Economists. BLS lists 4,030 jobs, compared with 90 for Economists. Its location quotient is 1.83.
4. Cooks, Restaurant has a location quotient of 1.63 in Montana, a gap of 0.05 from Economists. BLS lists 7,580 jobs and a median of $38,060 per year, or $51,280 below Economists.
5. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers has a location quotient of 1.63 in Montana, a gap of 0.05 from Economists. BLS lists 4,350 jobs and a median of $76,910 per year, or $12,430 below Economists.
6. First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers has a location quotient of 1.58 in Montana, a gap of 0.00 from Economists. BLS lists 5,830 jobs and a median of $49,300 per year, or $40,040 below Economists.
7. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks has a location quotient of 1.54 in Montana, a gap of 0.04 from Economists. BLS lists 6,980 jobs and a median of $47,270 per year, or $42,070 below Economists.
8. Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants has a location quotient of 1.39 in Montana, a gap of 0.19 from Economists. BLS lists 4,410 jobs and a median of $43,740 per year, or $45,600 below Economists.
Precise employer-title matches for Economists in Montana
Filtered through MeritLog's approved Montana place record and a strict employer-title rule. Listings are not classified by BLS and remain separate from BLS and BEA estimates.
