Truck Driver · Montana · SOC 53-3032
2026 Truck Driver Pay in Montana: BLS Median + Real Take-Home
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-05.
TL;DR
- Median Truck Driver salary in Montana: $59,060 nominal, $64,891 real (BEA RPP basis).
- Wage envelope: $45,450 (P10) to $73,700 (P90), with quartiles at $50,440 and $63,510.
- Low BEA RPP (91.0) means the paycheck stretches further than the BLS number suggests; net lift roughly $5,831.
- Nominal: #18/51 · Real: #4/51 — ranking shifts by 14 positions after RPP.
Wage breakdown — Montana
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $45,450 | $49,937 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $50,440 | $55,420 |
| P50 (median) | $59,060 | $64,891 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $63,510 | $69,780 |
| P90 (top tier) | $73,700 | $80,977 |
| Mean | $59,050 | $64,880 |
| Employment | 7,050 Truck Drivers in Montana | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | Montana index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 91.0 |
| Goods | 96.5 |
| Services | 72.8 |
| Rents | 76.8 |
Montana sits below the national baseline (RPP 91.0), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 76.8.
After-tax take-home — Montana (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (Truck Driver) | $59,060 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$4,949 | 8.4% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$2,377 | 4.7–5.9% (2 brackets) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$4,518 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $47,216 | 79.9% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $51,877 | ÷ (91.0 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the Montana state-tax burden means for Truck Driver take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 4.0% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $47,216 (79.9% of gross). After the 91.0 RPP, real take-home is $51,877.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $57,440 for Truck Drivers with mean pay of $58,400 and total employment of 2,070,480. Montana sits at #18 on nominal pay and #4 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Montana climbs 14 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the real (cost-adjusted) Truck Driver salary in Montana?
- After BEA RPP adjustment (regional price parity index 91.0 for Montana), the real-wage equivalent is $64,891 — what the $59,060 nominal salary actually buys. Quartiles in real terms: $55,420 to $69,780.
- What does the top of the Truck Driver pay scale look like in Montana?
- The 90th percentile lands at $73,700. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $63,510.
- How many Truck Drivers does Montana employ?
- BLS OES counts 7,050 Truck Drivers employed in Montana in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
- How wide is the wage spread in Montana?
- P10 to P90 spans $45,450 to $73,700. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.
- OTR vs regional vs local truck driver pay in Montana?
- BLS aggregates Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) into one figure. In Montana, OTR (over-the-road, multi-week trips) typically pays the highest gross — $65-90K range with experience — but on a real per-hour basis once away-from-home time is counted, regional (home weekly) and local/dedicated (home daily) routes often net comparable take-home. Local LTL and dedicated-fleet routes in Montana frequently pay above the BLS median when union-represented (Teamsters).
- Owner-operator vs company driver in Montana — which actually nets more?
- Gross revenue for an owner-operator in {state} can run $200K-$300K, but after truck payment, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and self-employment tax, net take-home typically lands $70-110K — modestly above company-driver pay but with substantially more risk and capital exposure. The owner-operator advantage is biggest for drivers with paid-off trucks or specialty routes (oversize, hazmat, refrigerated). Company-driver pay is the floor; owner-operator is volatile.
- CDL school cost and payback in Montana?
- CDL Class A schools in Montana typically run $4,000-$8,000 over 4-8 weeks, often partly or fully reimbursed by carriers in exchange for a 12-month commitment. With first-year company-driver pay around $50-65K in Montana, payback is usually inside 6 months even at full self-pay. Endorsements (hazmat, tanker, doubles/triples) add $500-$2,000 to certification cost and unlock 5-15% wage premiums on appropriate routes.
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 53-3032, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how Montana Truck Driver pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.