Food Jobs & Pay in Montana
About 57,970 people in Montana work in food-related jobs. Median pay by occupation, with the national median in the last column.
Restaurants & service
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 14,960 | $29,090 | $22,760 – $36,780 | $31,200 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 7,580 | $38,060 | $29,380 – $47,670 | $37,390 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 7,200 | $23,370 | $21,940 – $45,420 | $35,230 |
| Bartenders | 5,370 | $26,010 | $21,940 – $32,870 | $34,340 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 4,650 | $44,010 | $30,780 – $64,320 | $44,080 |
| Food Preparation Workers | 2,990 | $33,860 | $26,000 – $43,410 | $35,320 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 2,290 | $37,150 | $30,500 – $50,600 | $37,450 |
| Dishwashers | 2,120 | $30,130 | $22,580 – $38,550 | $34,810 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | 1,260 | $28,910 | $22,700 – $35,980 | $31,200 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 1,150 | $27,510 | $21,950 – $38,350 | $33,980 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 1,050 | $32,090 | $23,010 – $38,210 | $35,360 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 820 | $26,770 | $22,090 – $47,100 | $30,890 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | 720 | $57,470 | $38,200 – $80,180 | $62,470 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | 470 | $29,720 | $24,210 – $38,600 | $35,840 |
| Cooks, All Other | 200 | $42,640 | $31,600 – $50,670 | $37,690 |
| Cooks, Short Order | — | $33,240 | $29,890 – $36,310 | $35,880 |
Food processing
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakers | 990 | $37,200 | $26,080 – $50,670 | $37,160 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | 740 | $41,600 | $29,760 – $56,720 | $40,140 |
| Food Batchmakers | 170 | $39,630 | $29,030 – $52,000 | $42,290 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | 140 | $37,740 | $33,870 – $50,690 | $39,680 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | 130 | $35,360 | $31,960 – $49,260 | $44,810 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | 80 | $46,700 | $37,450 – $53,680 | $40,130 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 60 | $37,440 | $34,950 – $47,580 | $38,300 |
Farm & field
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 720 | $41,390 | $28,080 – $50,440 | $35,660 |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | 660 | $37,010 | $30,620 – $55,930 | $36,670 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | 130 | $58,770 | $28,790 – $73,650 | $41,730 |
| Agricultural Workers, All Other | 80 | $42,130 | $27,990 – $56,560 | $39,850 |
Science & nutrition
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | 230 | $71,580 | $60,280 – $90,740 | $76,400 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | 30 | $52,230 | $40,070 – $76,250 | $88,720 |
Management
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Managers | 950 | $72,140 | $50,730 – $105,000 | $69,390 |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | 30 | $110,250 | $61,760 – $155,440 | $89,900 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, most recent annual estimate. Some occupations are suppressed in smaller states and are omitted. Median pay is the middle of the wage distribution; employment counts exclude the self-employed. Labour-market data, not job listings.