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Montana laborer prevailing wage, county by county

A laborer's prevailing wage on Montana public works runs from $36.65 an hour in Yellowstone County to $42.44 in Beaverhead County. The median county is $37.45.

Main laborer classification in each county (Construction laborers group 2), DLI 2026 rates, revised 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 October 25, 2026.

Garfield County laborer: $36.65 per hourLiberty County laborer: $42.44 per hourGolden Valley County laborer: $37.45 per hourBeaverhead County laborer: $42.44 per hourWheatland County laborer: $37.45 per hourLewis and Clark County laborer: $42.44 per hourRavalli County laborer: $38.76 per hourFlathead County laborer: $38.76 per hourSanders County laborer: $38.76 per hourPetroleum County laborer: $37.45 per hourBroadwater County laborer: $42.44 per hourMusselshell County laborer: $36.65 per hourWibaux County laborer: $36.65 per hourRichland County laborer: $36.65 per hourRoosevelt County laborer: $36.65 per hourPhillips County laborer: $37.45 per hourYellowstone County laborer: $36.65 per hourMeagher County laborer: $37.45 per hourCuster County laborer: $36.65 per hourPowder River County laborer: $36.65 per hourLincoln County laborer: $38.76 per hourGallatin County laborer: $37.45 per hourJefferson County laborer: $42.44 per hourJudith Basin County laborer: $37.45 per hourTeton County laborer: $42.44 per hourMineral County laborer: $38.76 per hourDeer Lodge County laborer: $42.44 per hourSilver Bow County laborer: $42.44 per hourMadison County laborer: $42.44 per hourFallon County laborer: $36.65 per hourCarter County laborer: $36.65 per hourHill County laborer: $37.45 per hourFergus County laborer: $37.45 per hourChouteau County laborer: $37.45 per hourMcCone County laborer: $36.65 per hourValley County laborer: $36.65 per hourTreasure County laborer: $36.65 per hourStillwater County laborer: $36.65 per hourLake County laborer: $38.76 per hourMissoula County laborer: $38.76 per hourPowell County laborer: $42.44 per hourGlacier County laborer: $42.44 per hourRosebud County laborer: $36.65 per hourSweet Grass County laborer: $37.45 per hourPondera County laborer: $42.44 per hourDaniels County laborer: $36.65 per hourPark County laborer: $37.45 per hourPrairie County laborer: $36.65 per hourBig Horn County laborer: $36.65 per hourDawson County laborer: $36.65 per hourBlaine County laborer: $37.45 per hourToole County laborer: $42.44 per hourSheridan County laborer: $36.65 per hourGranite County laborer: $42.44 per hourCarbon County laborer: $36.65 per hourCascade County laborer: $37.45 per hour
$36$36$37$37$42$42Laborer, main rate, base + benefit per hour. Each shade holds about a fifth of the counties.

How much does a laborer make on prevailing wage in Montana?

4 groups of counties with identical rates and 0 with rates of their own, highest main rate first. The table below lists which counties are in each group.

  1. Lewis and Clark County group14 counties · CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2$42.44
  2. Missoula County group7 counties · CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2$38.76
  3. Gallatin County group14 counties · CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2$37.45
  4. Yellowstone County group21 counties · CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2$36.65

Which counties pay which rate

CountiesMain classificationBase + benefitBase
Lewis and Clark County group, 14 localities: Beaverhead, Broadwater, Deer Lodge, Glacier, Granite, Jefferson, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Madison, Pondera, Powell, Silver Bow, Teton, TooleCONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2$42.44 $27.42 
Missoula County group, 7 localities: Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, Mineral, Missoula, Ravalli, SandersCONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2$38.76 $28.42 
Gallatin County group, 14 localities: Blaine, Cascade, Chouteau, Fergus, Gallatin, Golden Valley, Hill, Judith Basin, Meagher, Park, Petroleum, Phillips, Sweet Grass, WheatlandCONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2$37.45 $27.90 
Yellowstone County group, 21 localities: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sheridan, Stillwater, Treasure, Valley, Wibaux, YellowstoneCONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2$36.65 $26.80 

4 groups of counties with identical DLI rates, and 0 counties with rates of their own.

DLI publishes journey-level rates only. Registered apprentices are paid the percentage of this rate set in their apprenticeship program, plus the full fringe benefit (18-2-416(2) MCA); unregistered apprentices get the journey-level rate.

Questions about Montana laborer pay

What is the laborer prevailing wage in Yellowstone County?

$36.65 an hour: a $26.80 base wage plus $9.85 in benefits, under DLI 2026 rates, revised April 25, 2026. Overtime and every laborer classification in Yellowstone County.

Does laborer prevailing wage include fringe benefits?

Yes. In Yellowstone County the $36.65 total is a $26.80 base wage plus $9.85 in benefits, about 27% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.

Does laborer prevailing wage pay overtime in Montana?

Hours over 40 in a week pay at least 1½ times the basic hourly rate. Overtime is calculated on the base rate, not the benefit, and benefits are paid for every hour at the straight-time amount (DLI FAQ). There is no daily overtime.

Do apprentice laborers get this rate?

DLI publishes journey-level rates only. Registered apprentices are paid the percentage of this rate set in their apprenticeship program, plus the full fringe benefit (18-2-416(2) MCA); unregistered apprentices get the journey-level rate.

Why do some counties have the same laborer rate?

DLI often publishes the same laborer rates for several counties. Across Montana, the 56 counties with a laborer rate fall into 4 distinct sets of rates, and 4 of those sets are shared by more than one county; the largest covers 21 counties (the Yellowstone County group).