The state of Montana considers electricians to have very promising job prospects. In fact, electricians ranked 9th on the Montana Department of Labor & Industry’s list of occupations that met these two criteria:
- Jobs that paid more than $45,000 a year
- Jobs that had the most openings in the ten-year period ending in 2024
Electricians in the eastern rural part of Montana earned the 2nd highest average salary of electricians in any rural part of the country according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015). In addition, the concentration of jobs for electricians in the eastern rural portion of Montana was the 3rd highest of any rural area in the US.
The construction industry in Montana posted a growth rate that was “especially strong” according to the 2016 Economic Report produced by the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research.
Although a substantial amount of residential construction is taking place in cities such as Bozeman in Western Montana, other types of projects drove the growth of construction wages in most of Montana:
- Multi-family residential
- Civil construction
- Commercial and industrial projects
For instance, construction in Billings tilts more towards commercial and industrial projects. In late 2015, the Billings Gazette reported that the rise in construction in the city could continue for three years. Major projects underway in Billings include:
- The new Medicine Crow Middle School
- The new Ben Steele Middle School
- The 83-unit Wyndstone apartments in Billing Heights
- A new office for Dick Anderson Construction on South Frontage Road
- $2.3 million in construction of a new office for HDR Engineering
- $2.3 million in renovations at Rimrock Mall for a new Herberger’s store
- $1.8 million in renovations at Billings Logan International Airport
Salaries for Residential Electricians Throughout Montana
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the range of salaries earned by electricians in Montana’s major cities and its rural areas. Highly skilled master electricians can expect to earn salaries at the highest end of these ranges (2015):
Salaries for Specialty Electricians Throughout Montana
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salaries for two types of specialized electricians that work in Montana’s largest cities and its rural areas (2015). Those with the most education and experience tend to earn salaries at the upper end of the ranges shown here:
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers:
- Billings: $85,870 – $99,470
- Great Falls: $90,520 – $101,450
- Rural East Montana: $72,830 – $92,720
- Rural Central Montana: $70,990 – $81,570
- Rural Southwest Montana: $82,890 – $97,190
- Rural West Montana: $86,350 – $100,040
Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers:
- Rural West Montana: $27,630 – $30,130
The statewide average for electricians in these specialized roles is shown in the table below: