How to Become a Culinary Professional in Montana (2026)

Q: How much do culinary professionals earn in Montana?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), culinary professionals in Montana earned a median annual wage of approximately $38,060. Employment concentration in Montana is about 1.63 times the national average for this occupation.

Q: What is the job outlook for culinary professionals in Montana?

Montana currently employs approximately 7,580 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 14.9% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Montana employs about 7,580 culinary professionals earning a median $38,060 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most culinary professionals train through an approved program before entering the field in Montana.

Compare Culinary Professional Schools in Montana

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Bridgerland Technical College	73.8	Contact school for pricing	$42,070	Not reported	Yes*	359 mi
2	Walla Walla Community College	70.4	Contact school for pricing	$56,719	43%	Yes*	352 mi
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3	Spokane Community College	68.4	Contact school for pricing	$52,567	35%	Yes*	304 mi
4	College of Southern Idaho	68.2	Contact school for pricing	$46,129	34%	Yes*	344 mi
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5	Ogden-Weber Technical College	63.7	Contact school for pricing	$47,224	54%	Yes*	393 mi
6	Northern Wyoming Community College District	60.3	Contact school for pricing	$51,958	Not reported	Yes*	243 mi
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7	Flathead Valley Community College	54.5	$4,912 - $14,882	$47,642	28%	Yes*	180 mi
8	Central Wyoming College	48.5	Contact school for pricing	$43,068	Not reported	Yes*	296 mi
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9	North Idaho College	46.4	Contact school for pricing	$50,312	37%	Yes*	277 mi
10	Little Big Horn College	20.6	$3,200 - $11,635	$27,429	11%	—	191 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Montana employs approximately 7,580 culinary professionals according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $38,060 ¹. The state’s concentration of culinary professional jobs is 1.63x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, culinary professional employment is projected to grow 14.9% from 2024 to 2034, with about 250,700 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Culinary Professional in Montana, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school or community college
Typical timeline: varies by program; confirm with the school
Median wage (Montana): $38,060 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Culinary Professional in Montana

How to become a Culinary Professional in Montana? Complete a training program or apprenticeship, gain work experience, and meet any state or employer requirements for culinary professionals in Montana.

How long does it take? culinary professional training length in Montana varies by program. Confirm current requirements with the school and the state board before you enroll.

What do culinary professionals earn in Montana? The median annual wage for culinary professionals in Montana is $38,060 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $29,380 and experienced professionals can earn $47,670 or more ¹.

How to Become a Culinary Professional in Montana

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most Montana training programs require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete an approved training program. Enroll in an approved culinary professional program in Montana that combines classroom instruction with supervised practice.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Meet state and employer requirements. Confirm any registration, certification, or employer requirements that apply to culinary professionals in Montana before you start working.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Culinary Professional Wages by Metro Area in Montana

Chefs and Head Cooks Wages by Metro Area in Montana

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), chefs and head cooks wages in Montana vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Bozeman	1,680	$44,015	$44,434	$34,025	$55,920
Billings	1,510	$38,296	$38,787	$30,140	$47,875
Missoula	1,250	$39,181	$40,084	$30,526	$50,762
Helena	720	$38,938	$39,605	$29,182	$50,565
Great Falls	580	$36,492	$36,710	$28,498	$45,875

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for culinary professionals in Montana? Montana currently employs approximately 7,580 culinary professionals ¹. Nationally, culinary professional employment is projected to grow 14.9% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in Montana? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Montana.

How much do culinary professionals earn in Montana compared to the national average? The median annual wage for culinary professionals in Montana is $38,060, which is $1,230 above the national median of $36,830 according to BLS data ¹.

In Montana

Best Trade Schools in Montana (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Montana

Citations

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/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)