Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Montana employs 16,070 Production professionals across 49 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Production industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Production in Montana, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Production industry in Montana, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power Plant Operators | $106,040 | $99,440 | 130 | $50/hr |
| 2 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $98,310 | $94,310 | 550 | $47/hr |
| 3 | Gas Plant Operators | $83,630 | $85,420 | 70 | $40/hr |
| 4 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $79,570 | $77,590 | 40 | $38/hr |
| 5 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $77,690 | $77,000 | 110 | $37/hr |
| 6 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $70,860 | $71,000 | 60 | $34/hr |
| 7 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $68,760 | $73,880 | 1,860 | $33/hr |
| 8 | Machinists | $60,920 | $61,530 | 630 | $29/hr |
| 9 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $60,110 | $55,610 | 260 | $28/hr |
| 10 | Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $58,070 | $63,230 | 580 | $27/hr |
| 11 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $58,040 | $61,570 | 690 | $27/hr |
| 12 | Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $57,860 | $55,680 | 150 | $27/hr |
| 13 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $55,610 | $58,680 | 1,530 | $26/hr |
| 14 | Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders | $53,250 | $49,250 | 100 | $25/hr |
| 15 | Prepress Technicians and Workers | $51,910 | $50,490 | 40 | $24/hr |
| 16 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $51,880 | $53,620 | 240 | $24/hr |
| 17 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $51,540 | $51,870 | 100 | $24/hr |
| 18 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | $50,460 | $48,910 | N/A | $24/hr |
| 19 | Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners | $49,560 | $49,340 | N/A | $23/hr |
| 20 | Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | $49,090 | $50,450 | 280 | $23/hr |
| 21 | Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,490 | $49,330 | 130 | $23/hr |
| 22 | Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $47,920 | $50,700 | 510 | $23/hr |
| 23 | Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,920 | $51,350 | 340 | $23/hr |
| 24 | Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $47,730 | $49,030 | 190 | $22/hr |
| 25 | Dental Laboratory Technicians | $47,560 | $53,400 | 110 | $22/hr |
| 26 | Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,380 | $48,980 | 330 | $22/hr |
| 27 | Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $46,700 | $46,130 | 80 | $22/hr |
| 28 | Helpers--Production Workers | $46,110 | $43,500 | 220 | $22/hr |
| 29 | Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | $45,610 | $44,390 | 360 | $21/hr |
| 30 | Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,940 | $45,150 | 1,510 | $21/hr |
| 31 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $44,350 | $44,880 | 380 | $21/hr |
| 32 | Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $43,340 | $45,020 | 110 | $20/hr |
| 33 | Printing Press Operators | $42,220 | $42,660 | 300 | $20/hr |
| 34 | Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $41,740 | $42,390 | 160 | $20/hr |
| 35 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | $41,600 | $42,690 | 740 | $20/hr |
| 36 | Upholsterers | $41,600 | $47,480 | 40 | $20/hr |
| 37 | Food Batchmakers | $39,630 | $40,970 | 170 | $19/hr |
| 38 | Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $38,410 | $43,130 | 280 | $18/hr |
| 39 | Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers | $37,580 | $46,150 | 80 | $18/hr |
| 40 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $37,440 | $38,660 | 60 | $18/hr |
| 41 | Bakers | $37,200 | $38,140 | 990 | $17/hr |
| 42 | Sewing Machine Operators | $36,740 | $36,970 | 190 | $17/hr |
| 43 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $36,250 | $36,730 | 1,030 | $17/hr |
| 44 | Print Binding and Finishing Workers | $36,220 | $39,570 | 90 | $17/hr |
| 45 | Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $35,670 | $38,430 | N/A | $17/hr |
| 46 | Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $35,360 | $38,500 | 130 | $17/hr |
| 47 | Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $35,270 | $35,190 | 30 | $16/hr |
| 48 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | $34,790 | $40,770 | 40 | $16/hr |
| 49 | Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $34,710 | $37,490 | 50 | $16/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Montana:
Montana has 49 Production occupations with 16,070 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Production occupation in Montana is Power Plant Operators with a median salary of $106,040/year.
The average median salary across 49 Production occupations in Montana is $50,891/year.
Salaries in Production in Montana range from $24,290 (entry-level) to $120,560 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Production occupations use SOC prefix 51. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 51* in Montana. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources