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What does a Locomotive Engineers salary really buy you in Montana?
Montana is 9.7% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Montana's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 90.3, meaning prices are 9.7% lower the national average. A Locomotive Engineers earning $90,220 in Montana has the equivalent purchasing power of $99,911 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) | $80,460 | $89,102 | +$8,642 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $90,220 | $99,911 | +$9,691 |
| Median (P50) | $90,220 | $99,911 | +$9,691 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $90,370 | $100,077 | +$9,707 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $126,950 | $140,586 | +$13,636 |
A Locomotive Engineers in Montana earns $90,220 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $99,911 in an average-cost state. This makes Montana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Montana's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 90.3 means a basket of goods and services costs about 9.7% less than the national average. For a Locomotive Engineers, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $90,220 for Montana's cost of living yields $99,911 — a 10.7% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Locomotive Engineers, Montana places #6 of 35 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Locomotive Engineers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Montana ranks #6 out of 35 states for Locomotive Engineers after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Locomotive Engineers take-home pay in Montana after taxes →
A Locomotive Engineers in Montana earns a median salary of $90,220 per year. After adjusting for Montana's cost of living (RPP=90.3), the real purchasing power is $99,911 — 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 Locomotive Engineers in Montana: $90,220 x (100 / 90.3) = $99,911. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Locomotive Engineers 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.
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