How to Become a Jewelry Designer in Montana (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Montana employs about 80 jewelry designers earning a median $37,580 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Jewelry Designer here means completing a short course or certificate plus a portfolio; most states do not license this role.

Compare Jewelry Designer 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.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)Tuition (published, per year)Median grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
157.6$1,288 in-state / $12,616 out-of-state$58,87644%Yes*766 mi
254.5$4,912 in-state / $11,659 out-of-state$47,64229%Yes*180 mi
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348.3$5,238 in-state / $5,796 out-of-state$70,09033%—534 mi
429.0$1,410$44,81813%Yes*739 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 80 jewelry designers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $37,580 1. Nationally, jewelry designer employment is projected to grow -5.5% from 2024 to 2034, with about 4,000 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become a Jewelry Designer in Montana, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

  • Training paths: short course, certificate, or self-directed portfolio work (find programs)
  • Typical timeline: a short course or certificate plus a portfolio; most states do not license this role
  • Median wage (Montana): $37,580 per year 1

Quick Answers About How to Become a Jewelry Designer in Montana

How to become a Jewelry Designer in Montana? Complete a short course or certificate plus a portfolio; most states do not license this role. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish a short course or certificate plus a portfolio; most states do not license this role. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Montana? Licensing varies. See the licensing section below for the Montana path.

What do jewelry designers earn in Montana? The median annual wage for jewelry designers in Montana is $37,580 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $28,590 and experienced professionals can earn $74,910 or more 1.

How to Become a Jewelry Designer in Montana

  1. Build skills and a portfolio. Complete a short course or certificate if you want structured training, then assemble a portfolio. This is not a registered apprenticeship.
  2. Optional industry credentials. Tool or association credentials can help hiring. They are not a state occupational license.
  3. Most states do not license this role. Do not apply to a licensing board. Confirm employer expectations, not a state credential that does not exist.

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

Jewelry Designer License Requirements in Montana

Most states do not license this role. The path is a portfolio and a short course or certificate, not a licensing board.

Typical path

  1. Build skills through a short course, certificate, or OJT.

  2. Assemble a portfolio.

  3. Do not apply to a licensing board for this role.

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

Jewelry Designer Wages by Metro Area in Montana

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for jewelry designers in Montana? Montana currently employs approximately 80 jewelry designers 1. Nationally, jewelry designer employment is projected to grow -5.5% 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 jewelry designers earn in Montana compared to the national average? The median annual wage for jewelry designers in Montana is $37,580, which is $11,560 below the national median of $49,140 according to BLS data 1.

In Montana

Top local programs

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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

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

  2. 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.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / 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)