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What does a Pharmacy Aides 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 Pharmacy Aides earning $37,140 in Montana has the equivalent purchasing power of $41,129 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) | $31,360 | $34,728 | +$3,368 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $35,220 | $39,003 | +$3,783 |
| Median (P50) | $37,140 | $41,129 | +$3,989 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $39,620 | $43,875 | +$4,255 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $53,380 | $59,114 | +$5,734 |
A Pharmacy Aides in Montana earns $37,140 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $41,129 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 Pharmacy Aides, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $37,140 for Montana's cost of living yields $41,130 — 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 Pharmacy Aides, Montana places #8 of 48 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Pharmacy Aides salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Montana ranks #8 out of 48 states for Pharmacy Aides after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Pharmacy Aides take-home pay in Montana after taxes →
A Pharmacy Aides in Montana earns a median salary of $37,140 per year. After adjusting for Montana's cost of living (RPP=90.3), the real purchasing power is $41,129 — 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 Pharmacy Aides in Montana: $37,140 x (100 / 90.3) = $41,129. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Pharmacy Aides 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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