What does a Sales Engineers 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 Sales Engineers earning $134,900 in Montana has the equivalent purchasing power of $149,390 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) | $65,190 | $72,192 | +$7,002 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $113,730 | $125,946 | +$12,216 |
| Median (P50) | $134,900 | $149,390 | +$14,490 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $138,710 | $153,610 | +$14,900 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $151,780 | $168,084 | +$16,304 |
A Sales Engineers in Montana earns $134,900 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $149,390 in an average-cost state. This makes Montana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Sales Engineers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Montana ranks #4 out of 42 states for Sales Engineers after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Sales Engineers in Montana earns a median salary of $134,900 per year. After adjusting for Montana's cost of living (RPP=90.3), the real purchasing power is $149,390 — 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 Sales Engineers in Montana: $134,900 x (100 / 90.3) = $149,390. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Sales 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.