Retail Salespersons Salary in Montana
The median for retail salespersons in Montana is $36,270 a year, somewhat above the national $35,410 (+2%); the state ranks 15th of 51 states by median. That is 26% less than the median across all occupations in Montana ($48,740). Montana pays more than every neighbouring state: North Dakota, Idaho, South Dakota and Wyoming range from $34,310 in Wyoming to $36,040 in North Dakota. Montana employs 13,490 retail salespersons, 26.4 per 1,000 jobs, the 44th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.05 is close to the national share.
Montana vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Montana | Hourly | $13.76 | $14.67 | $17.44 | $20.79 | $23.40 | $18.35 | 13,490 | 26.36 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $28,620 | $30,510 | $36,270 | $43,240 | $48,680 | $38,170 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.08 | $14.38 | $17.03 | $18.59 | $23.02 | $17.94 | 3,897,860 | – | – |
| Annual | $27,210 | $29,900 | $35,410 | $38,670 | $47,890 | $37,310 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 15th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 44th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.05
- Jobs per 1,000
- 26.36
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Montana's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Montana
5 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Montana publish a row for retail salespersons, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | $18.44 | $38,350 | $30,090 | $56,870 | 2,270 | 31.44 | 1.25 |
| Helena, MT | $17.30 | $35,990 | $29,110 | $46,510 | 1,130 | 25.41 | 1.01 |
| Billings, MT | $17.19 | $35,760 | $28,610 | $48,170 | 2,900 | 30.88 | 1.23 |
| Missoula, MT | $17.04 | $35,430 | $28,320 | $46,300 | 1,990 | 29.64 | 1.18 |
| Great Falls, MT | $16.83 | $35,000 | $27,260 | $47,070 | 1,130 | 30.94 | 1.23 |
| West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $17.70 | $36,820 | $28,670 | $47,950 | 2,370 | 28.10 | 1.12 |
| East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $17.23 | $35,830 | $27,970 | $53,600 | 950 | 15.75 | 0.63 |
| Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $17.21 | $35,790 | $28,200 | $47,160 | 670 | 17.06 | 0.68 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | $17.44 | $36,270 | 13,490 | 1.05 |
| Idaho | $16.87 | $35,080 | 20,180 | 0.94 |
| North Dakota | $17.33 | $36,040 | 11,320 | 1.05 |
| South Dakota | $16.52 | $34,370 | 14,180 | 1.24 |
| Wyoming | $16.50 | $34,310 | 8,770 | 1.25 |
See the national page for Retail Salespersons (every state ranked) and the Montana wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Montana estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.