What does a Drafters, All Other 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 Drafters, All Other earning $62,410 in Montana has the equivalent purchasing power of $69,114 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) | $41,990 | $46,500 | +$4,510 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $56,630 | $62,713 | +$6,083 |
| Median (P50) | $62,410 | $69,114 | +$6,704 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $69,040 | $76,456 | +$7,416 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $77,750 | $86,101 | +$8,351 |
A Drafters, All Other in Montana earns $62,410 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $69,114 in an average-cost state. This makes Montana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Drafters, All Other salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Montana ranks #8 out of 41 states for Drafters, All Other after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
A Drafters, All Other in Montana earns a median salary of $62,410 per year. After adjusting for Montana's cost of living (RPP=90.3), the real purchasing power is $69,114 — 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 Drafters, All Other in Montana: $62,410 x (100 / 90.3) = $69,114. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Drafters, All Other 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.