Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Montana | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $70,050 | $79,739 | -12% |
| Median hourly wage | $33.68 | $38.34 | -12% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $74,049.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Police Officer in Montana is $70,050, or about $33.68 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Police Officers is $79,739. Montana is -12% below the national median.
Entry-level police officers in Montana typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 2,160 police officer jobs on record and a median salary of $70,050, Montana offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, police officers rank 202 of the 604 occupations reported in Montana — higher than 67% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Detectives and Criminal Investigators at $92,410, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives at $89,380, First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers at $82,820 — all figures are median annual wages for Montana.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Montana levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 100.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, police officers rank 202 of the 604 occupations reported in Montana — higher than 67% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Montana | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $92,410 | $500 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $89,380 | $450 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $82,820 | $320 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | $80,200 | $90 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $74,630 | $240 |
| Fish and Game Wardens | $59,490 | $70 |
Montana levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 100.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 604 occupations in Montana.