What does a Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary really buy you in Montana?
Montana is 9.7% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
Montana's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 90.3, meaning prices are 9.7% lower the national average. A Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters earning $77,520 in Montana has the equivalent purchasing power of $85,847 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) | $49,390 | $54,695 | +$5,305 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $59,000 | $65,337 | +$6,337 |
| Median (P50) | $77,520 | $85,847 | +$8,327 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $86,790 | $96,112 | +$9,322 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $88,080 | $97,541 | +$9,461 |
A Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Montana earns $77,520 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $85,847 in an average-cost state. This makes Montana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Montana ranks #2 out of 51 states for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters after cost-of-living adjustment.
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How much do you actually take home? See Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters take-home pay in Montana after taxes →
A Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Montana earns a median salary of $77,520 per year. After adjusting for Montana's cost of living (RPP=90.3), the real purchasing power is $85,847 — 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 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Montana: $77,520 x (100 / 90.3) = $85,847. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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.