What does a Dentists, General 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 Dentists, General earning $159,480 in Montana has the equivalent purchasing power of $176,611 in an average-cost US state.
A Dentists, General in Montana earns $159,480 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $176,611 in an average-cost state. This makes Montana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Dentists, General salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Montana ranks #27 out of 46 states for Dentists, General after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
A Dentists, General in Montana earns a median salary of $159,480 per year. After adjusting for Montana's cost of living (RPP=90.3), the real purchasing power is $176,611 — 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 Dentists, General in Montana: $159,480 x (100 / 90.3) = $176,611. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Dentists, General 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.