What does a Bus Drivers, School salary really buy you in Montana?
Montana is 9.7% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Montana's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 90.3, meaning prices are 9.7% lower the national average. A Bus Drivers, School earning $45,810 in Montana has the equivalent purchasing power of $50,730 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Montana's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $30,600 | $33,887 | +$3,287 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $39,560 | $43,809 | +$4,249 |
| Median (P50) | $45,810 | $50,730 | +$4,920 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $47,710 | $52,834 | +$5,124 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $50,950 | $56,423 | +$5,473 |
A Bus Drivers, School in Montana earns $45,810 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $50,730 in an average-cost state. This makes Montana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Bus Drivers, School salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Montana ranks #16 out of 50 states for Bus Drivers, School after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Bus Drivers, School in Montana earns a median salary of $45,810 per year. After adjusting for Montana's cost of living (RPP=90.3), the real purchasing power is $50,730 — a +10.7% difference.
Montana's cost of living is 9.7% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Montana is 90.3 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Bus Drivers, School in Montana: $45,810 x (100 / 90.3) = $50,730. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Bus Drivers, School in Montana enjoys 10.7% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.