What does a Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators 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 Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators earning $58,980 in Montana has the equivalent purchasing power of $65,315 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) | $45,150 | $50,000 | +$4,850 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $47,660 | $52,779 | +$5,119 |
| Median (P50) | $58,980 | $65,315 | +$6,335 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $64,360 | $71,273 | +$6,913 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $78,000 | $86,378 | +$8,378 |
A Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators in Montana earns $58,980 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $65,315 in an average-cost state. This makes Montana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Montana ranks #11 out of 49 states for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators in Montana earns a median salary of $58,980 per year. After adjusting for Montana's cost of living (RPP=90.3), the real purchasing power is $65,315 — 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 Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators in Montana: $58,980 x (100 / 90.3) = $65,315. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators 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.