Travel Nurse Pay in Montana (2026)
Montana is the smallest RN market in this series — and one where high-end pay visibly pulls the averages up. Here are the verified BLS numbers, hedged package ranges, compact licensure, and the resort-town housing trap.
By the NursePayLab editorial team · Updated $1
Key numbers at a glance
| Measure | Figure | What it means for travelers |
|---|---|---|
| RN employment (Montana) | 10,950 | Smallest market in this series — thin benches, fast gaps (per BLS OEWS, May 2025) |
| Median RN wage | $85,280/yr ($41.00/hr) | Staff baseline that anchors hospital bill rates |
| Mean RN wage | $91,510/yr ($43.99/hr) | $6,200 above median — premium pay pulls the average up |
| Entry RN (10th pct) | $70,120/yr | Floor of the market |
Travel nurse pay in Montana: the numbers
Montana employed just 10,950 registered nurses as of May 2025, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey — the smallest staff base of the ten states profiled in this batch, about 21.4 RN jobs per 1,000 statewide. The median RN wage was $85,280/year ($41.00/hr) with a mean of $91,510 ($43.99/hr), a 10th percentile of $70,120 and a 90th percentile of $113,920.
That $6,230 gap between mean and median is the Montana story in one number (per BLS, May 2025). In a market this thin, a modest number of very high-paying roles — premium-pay shifts, agency-heavy coverage at short-staffed facilities — drags the mean upward while the typical staff nurse earns nearer the median. For travelers it means two things: Montana hospitals demonstrably pay up when they must, and the 75th–90th percentile band ($100,800 to $113,920) understates what urgent coverage can bill at. The trade side is real too: with roughly 21 RNs per 1,000 jobs, Montana sits slightly below national RN density, so specialty gaps surface fast in Billings, Missoula, Bozeman and the critical-access web beyond them.
The hedged range below reflects the small-market premium. Verify live offers with your recruiter, and expect seasonal swings near the park gateways in summer.
| Measure | Figure | What it means for travelers |
|---|---|---|
| RN employment (Montana) | 10,950 | Smallest market in this series — thin benches, fast gaps (per BLS OEWS, May 2025) |
| Median RN wage | $85,280/yr ($41.00/hr) | Staff baseline that anchors hospital bill rates |
| Mean RN wage | $91,510/yr ($43.99/hr) | $6,200 above median — premium pay pulls the average up |
| Entry RN (10th pct) | $70,120/yr | Floor of the market |
| Experienced RN (75th–90th pct) | $100,800–$113,920/yr | Where bill rates cluster — urgent coverage can exceed it |
| Typical travel package (hedged) | roughly $2,000–$2,700/week gross | Taxable wage + stipends; varies by specialty and season — verify with recruiters |
| State income tax (2026) | Two brackets: 4.7% / 5.9% | Applies to taxable wages only, not stipends |
| Nurse Licensure Compact | Yes — member since Jan. 19, 2018 | Multistate license works; fast starts possible |
All BLS figures on this page: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release (bls.gov/oes). Wage figures are for staff registered nurses (SOC 29-1141), all industries — travel packages are quoted separately and are inherently variable. See the full list on our travel nurse pay by state hub.
How stipends change the math in Montana
Stipend caps follow the federal GSA per-diem tables, and Montana is a split-screen state on housing: Billings and Great Falls caps are modest and rents behave; Bozeman, Whitefish and the park gateway towns have resort-market caps and resort-market rents that can outrun them in peak season (current tables at gsa.gov/perdiem). The practical consequence: a summer Bozeman contract can look excellent on gross and lose to a Billings one after housing — model the actual rental market before you sign, and weigh agency housing more seriously in resort towns.
Illustrative math: $25/hr × 36 guaranteed hours = $900/week taxable. Subtract roughly $103 federal and $69 FICA, then about $31 for Montana tax at a hedged 5–5.9% blend near the bracket boundary, leaving about $697. Add $1,100 housing plus $400 M&IE — $1,500 tax-free — for a take-home near $2,200/week, about $61/hour blended, roughly $28,600 over 13 weeks. In Billings that is a comfortable week; in Bozeman in July, verify the rent first. Run every offer through the take-home calculator and compare by blended rate.
And because Montana contracts tempt long extensions — one assignment town is an easy place to stay — remember the standing rule: stipends stay tax-free only with a valid tax home and duplicated living expenses, and roughly a year in the same metro starts to break that. The tax home guide explains the mechanics.
Montana income tax: two brackets, 4.7% and 5.9%
Since the 2024 tax year Montana has run two individual income tax brackets — 4.7% and a top 5.9% — per the Montana Department of Revenue. A traveler's annualized taxable pay (often $45,000–$55,000) typically lands near the bracket boundary, so a roughly 5–6% state bite on taxable wages is the right planning figure — moderate by national standards, and irrelevant to stipends, which follow the federal accountable-plan rules. Montana has no reciprocity agreements, so nonresidents file Montana returns for wages earned there. Verify your filing position with the department and a CPA who handles multistate healthcare workers.
Tax figures here are 2026 planning rates from official state sources — confirm your own filing position with the relevant state revenue department or a CPA; this page is not tax advice.
Licensure in Montana: compact member since 2018
Montana is a full member of the Nurse Licensure Compact — implemented January 19, 2018, per the NCSBN map. A multistate RN license from your compact home state covers Montana assignments with no separate application, which matters in a state where a next-week start in Billings can beat a slower licensure state's whole timeline. If Montana becomes your primary state of residence mid-contract, apply for your Montana multistate license within 60 days under compact rules. Verify current status at nursecompact.com.
Where the demand is in Montana
Billings is the hub: Billings Clinic and St. Vincent Healthcare run the state's largest referral footprint and its deepest specialty lines — ICU, ED, cath lab and L&D above all. Missoula's Providence St. Patrick Medical Center and Bozeman Health Deaconess add strong secondary markets, and Bozeman's growth curve keeps its census climbing. Kalispell's Logan Health anchors the Flathead valley near Glacier, and the critical-access hospitals scattered across eastern Montana and the Hi-Line lean on travelers for leave coverage their small benches cannot absorb. Summer is the pressure season: gateway-town census spikes collide with the hardest rental market of the year, while winter contracts run quieter and cheaper to live.
Stipend ceilings everywhere follow the federal per-diem tables for your assignment location — gsa.gov/perdiem.
FAQ
How much do travel nurses make in Montana?
Per BLS OEWS (May 2025), the median staff RN in Montana earns $85,280/year and the mean is $91,510 — the $6,200 gap reflects high-end premiums in a thin market. Travel packages typically quote $2,000–$2,700/week gross — verify offers with recruiters.
Is Montana a Nurse Licensure Compact state?
Yes — Montana has been a compact member since January 19, 2018, per NCSBN. A multistate license from your compact home state covers Montana assignments with no separate application.
What is Montana's income tax for travelers?
Since 2024 Montana runs two brackets, 4.7% and 5.9%, per the Montana Department of Revenue. A traveler's taxable wages typically land near the boundary, so a roughly 5–6% state bite is the right planning figure.
Are stipends taxed in Montana?
No — stipends are tax-free when you maintain a valid tax home and duplicated living expenses. Montana's income tax applies only to your taxable hourly wages.
Why is Montana's mean RN wage so far above its median?
Montana has only about 10,950 staff RNs (BLS, May 2025). In a market that thin, high-end pay — premium and agency-influenced roles — pulls the mean up without moving the median much.
What is a good blended rate in Montana?
An illustrative $2,200/week take-home over 36 hours is about $61/hour blended. Resort towns like Bozeman can eat a housing stipend whole — model rents before you sign.