Do freight brokers need a license in Montana?

No statewide license is required for freight brokers in Montana. See the licensing section above for the credential path.

How to Become a Freight Broker in Montana (2026)

Q: How long does freight broker training take in Montana?

Most people become a Freight Broker in Montana through FMCSA broker authority (MC number), a BMC-84 bond or BMC-85 trust, BOC-3, and UCR. FMCSA does not require a training exam.

Q: How much do freight brokers earn in Montana?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), freight brokers in Montana earned a median annual wage of approximately $81,270. Employment concentration in Montana is roughly 0.34 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for freight brokers in Montana?

Montana currently employs approximately 280 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 16.7% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated August 11, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Montana logisticians earn a median annual wage of $81,270 ($39.07/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 280 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -1.3% below the national median of $82,320 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $81,270 ($39.07/hr)
25th percentile: $70,010 per year
75th percentile: $99,300 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $117,650 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $57,260 per year
Workers employed in Montana: 280
Versus national median: -1.3% below the U.S. median of $82,320
Job concentration: Location quotient 0.34 - this occupation is less concentrated in Montana than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed August 11, 2026.

Montana employs about 280 freight brokers earning a median $81,270 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Freight Broker here means completing FMCSA broker authority (MC number), a BMC-84 bond or BMC-85 trust, BOC-3, and UCR. FMCSA does not require a training exam.

Compare Freight Broker Schools in Montana

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. 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 (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Weber State University	72.8	$6,557 in-state / $17,545 out-of-state	$69,883	46%	Yes*	398 mi
2	Laramie County Community College	67.1	$4,613 in-state / $10,913 out-of-state	$49,818	38%	Yes*	506 mi
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3	Northern Wyoming Community College District	60.3	$4,830 in-state / $11,130 out-of-state	$51,958	42%	Yes*	243 mi
4	Salt Lake Community College	51.6	$4,426 in-state / $14,244 out-of-state	$55,279	29%	Yes*	434 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 280 freight brokers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $81,270 ¹. Nationally, freight broker employment is projected to grow 16.7% from 2024 to 2034, with about 26,400 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Freight Broker in Montana, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: optional freight-broker course; authority is federal registration (find programs)
Typical timeline: FMCSA broker authority (MC number), a BMC-84 bond or BMC-85 trust, BOC-3, and UCR. FMCSA does not require a training exam
Exam: none required by FMCSA
Median wage (Montana): $81,270 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Freight Broker in Montana

How to become a Freight Broker in Montana? Complete FMCSA broker authority (MC number), a BMC-84 bond or BMC-85 trust, BOC-3, and UCR. FMCSA does not require a training exam. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish FMCSA broker authority (MC number), a BMC-84 bond or BMC-85 trust, BOC-3, and UCR. FMCSA does not require a training exam. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Montana? Most states do not require a statewide occupational license. Employers typically expect none required by FMCSA. See the licensing section below.

What do freight brokers earn in Montana? The median annual wage for freight brokers in Montana is $81,270 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $57,260 and experienced professionals can earn $117,650 or more ¹.

How to Become a Freight Broker in Montana

Decide whether you need your own authority. Employees and agents can work under someone else’s broker authority. Independent brokerages need their own MC number.
Form the business and apply for FMCSA broker authority. Obtain an EIN, then apply for motor carrier (broker) authority. This is not a registered apprenticeship and not a state occupational license.
File BMC-84 or BMC-85, BOC-3, and UCR. Post a BMC-84 surety bond or BMC-85 trust, file BOC-3 process agents, and complete Unified Carrier Registration. Confirm current forms and amounts with FMCSA.
Optional training or TIA CTB. Courses and TIA Certified Transportation Broker are optional. They are not a substitute for FMCSA authority.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Freight Broker License Requirements in Montana

Freight brokers register with FMCSA. There is no state freight-broker license and no required training exam. Authority requires an MC number, BMC-84 or BMC-85, BOC-3, and UCR.

Typical path

Apply for FMCSA broker authority.
File BMC-84 or BMC-85, BOC-3, and UCR.
Optional: complete a course or TIA CTB.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Freight Broker Wages by Metro Area in Montana

Logisticians Wages by Metro Area in Montana

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Billings	60	$79,440	$80,160	$51,040	$100,760
Helena	50	$83,570	$89,600	$61,110	$126,440
Great Falls	40	$93,640	$99,800	$67,200	$115,210
Bozeman	30	$75,310	$88,480	$56,620	$167,810

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 freight brokers in Montana? Montana currently employs approximately 280 freight brokers ¹. Nationally, freight broker employment is projected to grow 16.7% 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 freight brokers earn in Montana compared to the national average? The median annual wage for freight brokers in Montana is $81,270, which is $390 above the national median of $80,880 according to BLS data ¹.

In Montana

Best Trade Schools in Montana (2026)

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)