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Montana prevailing wage rates
Pick a county to see every trade's rate there, or pick a trade to compare it across the state. All 179 rates in force come from the Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI): DLI 2026 rates, revised April 25, 2026.
DLI sets rates once a year, with mid-year revisions; the 2026 rates were revised effective April 25, 2026. "The wage rates applicable to a particular public works project are those in effect at the time the bid specifications are advertised" (ARM 24.17.127). Checked against erd.dli.mt.gov on October 25, 2026. Federally funded work here also uses the Davis-Bacon rates, shown on each rate page; what changed in them.
What is the prevailing wage rate in Montana?
It depends on the trade. Taking each trade's main rate in each county, DLI's figures run from $28.09 an hour (cement mason, Big Horn County) to $115.15 (elevator constructor, Beaverhead County). Each figure is the base wage plus benefits. Pick a county or a trade below for the exact rate.
Prevailing wage rates by county
- Beaverhead27 trades
- Big Horn27 trades
- Blaine27 trades
- Broadwater27 trades
- Carbon27 trades
- Carter27 trades
- Cascade27 trades
- Chouteau27 trades
- Custer27 trades
- Daniels27 trades
- Dawson27 trades
- Deer Lodge27 trades
- Fallon27 trades
- Fergus27 trades
- Flathead27 trades
- Gallatin27 trades
- Garfield27 trades
- Glacier27 trades
- Golden Valley27 trades
- Granite27 trades
- Hill27 trades
- Jefferson27 trades
- Judith Basin27 trades
- Lake27 trades
- Lewis and Clark27 trades
- Liberty27 trades
- Lincoln27 trades
- Madison27 trades
- McCone27 trades
- Meagher27 trades
- Mineral27 trades
- Missoula27 trades
- Musselshell27 trades
- Park27 trades
- Petroleum27 trades
- Phillips27 trades
- Pondera27 trades
- Powder River27 trades
- Powell27 trades
- Prairie27 trades
- Ravalli27 trades
- Richland27 trades
- Roosevelt27 trades
- Rosebud27 trades
- Sanders27 trades
- Sheridan27 trades
- Silver Bow27 trades
- Stillwater27 trades
- Sweet Grass27 trades
- Teton27 trades
- Toole27 trades
- Treasure27 trades
- Valley27 trades
- Wheatland27 trades
- Wibaux27 trades
- Yellowstone27 trades
Rates by trade
Each trade page maps that trade's main rate in every county.
- Boilermaker$70.90
- Bricklayer$51.87
- Carpenter$48.38
- Cement Mason$28.09–$36.88
- Diver & Tender$71.52
- Drywall Installer / Lather$47.07
- Electrical Utility Lineman$47.60
- Electrician$54.58–$58.76
- Elevator Constructor$115.15
- Flagger$38.46
- Glazier$29.90–$30.39
- Insulator (Heat & Frost / Asbestos Worker)$66.75
- Ironworker$62.61
- Laborer$36.65–$42.44
- Millwright$68.97
- Operating Engineer$46.38–$49.13
- Painter$48.84
- Pile Driver$54.38
- Pilot Car Driver$40.78
- Plasterer$47.07
- Plumber / Pipefitter$55.64–$66.42
- Refrigeration & A/C Mechanic$63.00
- Roofer$43.17–$60.19
- Sheet Metal Worker$59.75–$63.00
- Teamster (Truck Driver)$32.23–$37.50
- Telecommunications Technician$35.76–$51.83
- Tile Setter$30.73–$34.43
How Montana's prevailing wage rules work
- Which projects. Public works contracts for construction services over $25,000, let by the state, a county, city, school district or other political subdivision (MCA 18-2-401).
- One schedule per project. There are three schedules, Building, Heavy and Highway, and the agency picks one by the preponderance of labor hours; every worker is then paid that schedule's rate (MCA 18-2-418).
- Districts for building, statewide for heavy and highway. Building rates apply by district (four districts of 7 to 21 counties). Heavy and highway rates are statewide (MCA 18-2-403, 18-2-411).
- Rates lock when bids are advertised. A mid-year revision doesn't change a project already advertised. Contracts longer than 30 months add 3% a year after the first 12 months (MCA 18-2-417).
- No residential schedule. The building survey covers commercial work, and DLI asks surveyed contractors not to report work at private residences.
- Overtime. Time and a half on the base rate, not the benefit, after 40 hours a week; benefits are paid for every hour (DLI FAQ).
- Zone pay, travel and per diem. Zone pay, travel and per diem are part of the standard rate where they apply; each rate page copies DLI's allowance text (MCA 18-2-411).
- Resident preference. On state construction projects, at least 50% of each contractor's workers must be Montana residents, with exceptions for federally funded projects (MCA 18-2-409).
How we read DLI's data
We read every row of DLI's 2026 Building, Heavy and Highway PDFs and check every number with a second, separate reader. DLI prints no total; ours is base plus benefit. How we check.
Download the data
All Montana rates as CSV or JSON, plus one file per county on the data page.
Apprentice rates
DLI lists journey-level rates. Registered apprentices get their program's percentage of the rate plus the full benefit (MCA 18-2-416).
Montana prevailing wage questions
Is Montana prevailing wage the same as Davis-Bacon?
No. Montana's own rates cover state and local public works, and Davis-Bacon rates come from the U.S. Department of Labor for federally funded or assisted construction. Montana's law doesn't apply where federal law sets the rate, so a Davis-Bacon job uses the federal schedule (DLI FAQ).
How much does an electrician make on prevailing wage in Montana?
From $54.58 to $58.76 an hour for the main electrician classification, depending on the county; the median county is $57.28. See every county on one map.
How often do Montana prevailing wage rates change?
DLI sets rates once a year, with mid-year revisions; the 2026 rates were revised effective April 25, 2026. This site shows DLI 2026 rates, revised April 25, 2026, checked October 25, 2026.
Which DLI rates apply to my project?
"The wage rates applicable to a particular public works project are those in effect at the time the bid specifications are advertised" (ARM 24.17.127).
Do apprentices get prevailing wage in Montana?
DLI lists journey-level rates. Registered apprentices get their program's percentage of the rate plus the full benefit (MCA 18-2-416).