Quick answer:Commercial Pilots in Montana earn a median $103,690 per year, below the national median of $123,220 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 330 of them. Licensing runs through the FAA and the flight schools you are considering.
Aviation Pay and Employment in Montana at a Glance
Metric
Montana
National
Source
Median annual wage
$103,690
$123,220
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$73,440
$58,850
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$87,190
$84,540
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$131,360
$190,440
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$226,770
$266,620
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
330
47,630
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
2.13
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
5.1%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Montana Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Montana median of $103,690 sits below the national median of $123,220 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 2.13 puts Montana well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Where the Jobs Are in Montana
Metro area
Median annual wage
Employment
Bozeman
$137,430
40
Billings
$105,830
50
Missoula
$104,260
40
Helena
$100,940
50
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Pilot employment concentrates around airline hubs, cargo operations and corporate aviation bases rather than following population.
Licensing and Credentials in Montana
Aviation is federally regulated rather than state licensed. The FAA issues pilot certificates and ratings, and the requirements are national and uniform - which makes this one of the few credentials on the site that does not vary by state. Programs may hold AABI accreditation, and some hold FAA authority that reduces the flight hours required for an airline transport certificate.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with the FAA and the flight schools you are considering that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How We Rank Schools
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
The median annual wage for commercial pilots in Montana is $103,690, below the national median of $123,220 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $87,190 at the 25th percentile to $131,360 at the 75th.
How many commercial pilots work in Montana?
Montana holds about 330 commercial pilot jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 47,630, and BLS projects about 6,600 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a commercial pilot in Montana?
Aviation is federally regulated rather than state licensed. The FAA issues pilot certificates and ratings, and the requirements are national and uniform - which makes this one of the few credentials on the site that does not vary by state. Programs may hold AABI accreditation, and some hold FAA authority that reduces the flight hours required for an airline transport certificate. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with the FAA and the flight schools you are considering before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a bachelor's in aviation or professional flight online while working in Montana?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies the FAA and the flight schools you are considering.
What is the highest-paying area of Montana for commercial pilots?
Among Montana metro areas with published data, Bozeman reports the highest median at $137,430 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Montana a good state for commercial pilots?
On pay, the state median of $103,690 sits below the national $123,220 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 2.13 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Commercial Pilots (SOC 53-2012), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
