State profile · NCES F-33 FY2022
Teacher Salary in Montana
According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available across 315 public school districts in Montana.
- $73,667
- Est. state avg salary
- -14.1%
- vs national
- #34
- National rank
- 315
- Districts
Montana's estimated average teacher salary is $73,667, materially below the national average of $85,759, ranking #34 of 51 states and territories, across 315 public school districts (NCES CCD F-33, FY2022).
- middle third nationally (#34 of 51)
- $57,147 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
- -14.1% vs the national average
- +7.8% since FY2019
- #26 of 51 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 90.2)
What does the NCES F-33 data show for Montana?
Montana reports 315 public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data FY2022 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, with an average teacher salary of $73,667. That places the state in the middle third of US teacher-pay rankings - #34 of 51, materially below the national average of $85,759 (-14.1%). The state's public schools serve 148,055 students across these districts. Most district figures divide total instructional spending by the district's REPORTED teacher headcount (NCES CCD Staff Universe Survey); a small number of large consolidated districts that report staffing only at a sub-district level fall back to an estimated ratio instead, since total instructional spending also includes aides and assistants, both figures run somewhat above survey-reported classroom-teacher-only salaries, treat this as a relative cross-district comparison, not an exact paycheck, and see our methodology for the formula, its data source per district, and its limits.
Among enrolling districts, pay varies widely: Hays-Lodge Pole K-12 Schls reports the highest estimated average salary at $101,722, while Lone Rock Elem sits at the lower end at $44,575 - a spread of $57,147 between top and bottom reporting districts. Licensing rules, state aid formulas, collective bargaining density, and local tax bases all drive this intra-state variation. Urban and suburban districts with larger tax bases typically lead, while rural districts often lag despite lower cost of living.
Teacher compensation here reflects both state policy choices, the statutory minimum salary schedule, pension funding levels, licensure reciprocity, and the funding formula that determines how much state aid each district receives per pupil. A #34 national rank signals where Montana sits in the competition for teachers against neighboring states; teacher shortage areas typically correlate with lower pay rank. Figures below are per-district averages derived from the F-33 instructional salary expenditure field (Z33) divided by each district's reported teacher FTE (or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure), a district-level aggregate, not individual salary records.
Purchasing-power-adjusted rank
Montana's nominal average teacher salary ranks #34 of 51 states and territories. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2022 Regional Price Parity (90.2, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $81,690, ranking #26 of 51 , 8 places higher than the nominal rank once relative price levels are factored in. This purchasing-power view is not published by NEA's teacher-pay rankings or the aggregator sites; it comes from combining our own F-33-derived salary estimate with BEA's public RPP series. See the full 51-state release for methodology and download.
Montana's estimated average teacher salary, FY2019-FY2022
Highest-paying districts in Montana
Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)
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$101,722 Est. avg salary
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$100,695 Est. avg salary
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$100,306 Est. avg salary
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$96,587 Est. avg salary
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$93,223 Est. avg salary
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$92,156 Est. avg salary
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$90,157 Est. avg salary
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$89,459 Est. avg salary
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$89,024 Est. avg salary
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$86,536 Est. avg salary
What this shows Hays-Lodge Pole K-12 Schls leads Montana on the F-33 instructional-salary estimate. Service entities (CTCs, county offices) are excluded, their enrollment-based ratios are not reliable salary figures.
Top 3 districts
Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment | Per-Pupil Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hays-Lodge Pole K-12 Schls | $101,722 | 288 | $24,535 |
| Rocky Boy Elem | $100,695 | 452 | $22,832 |
| Box Elder Elem | $100,306 | 292 | $26,017 |
| Butte H S | $96,587 | 1,295 | $15,907 |
| Troy Elem | $93,223 | 273 | $18,839 |
| Helena H S | $92,156 | 2,478 | $14,301 |
| Beaverhead County H S | $90,157 | 325 | $19,172 |
| Poplar Elem | $89,459 | 627 | $22,780 |
| Helena Elem | $89,024 | 5,181 | $14,602 |
| Harlem Elem | $86,536 | 453 | $17,766 |
| Thompson Falls H S | $85,953 | 209 | $14,167 |
| Stevensville H S | $85,755 | 383 | $33,843 |
| Lame Deer Elem | $85,179 | 364 | $19,712 |
| Browning Elem | $84,126 | 1,203 | $25,505 |
| Missoula H S | $83,279 | 3,834 | $14,663 |
| Heart Butte K-12 Schools | $82,537 | 225 | $27,284 |
| Polson Elem | $81,710 | 1,152 | $12,655 |
| Columbus H S | $81,392 | 234 | $15,675 |
| Whitefish Elem | $81,030 | 1,306 | $13,037 |
| Chinook Elem | $80,440 | 234 | $16,654 |
| Polson H S | $80,337 | 511 | $14,616 |
| Billings Elem | $80,233 | 11,079 | $13,071 |
| Bozeman Elem | $80,031 | 4,711 | $12,124 |
| Baker K-12 Schools | $79,585 | 480 | $18,408 |
| Kalispell Elem | $79,155 | 3,136 | $13,273 |
| Whitefish H S | $78,762 | 576 | $14,720 |
| Dillon Elem | $78,455 | 730 | $12,023 |
| Evergreen Elem | $78,251 | 702 | $16,500 |
| Colstrip Elem | $78,202 | 395 | $19,152 |
| Missoula Elem | $77,676 | 5,385 | $13,532 |
| Anaconda Elem | $77,483 | 766 | $15,966 |
| Big Timber Elem | $77,349 | 333 | $9,916 |
| Hellgate Elem | $76,244 | 1,478 | $12,622 |
| Eureka Elem | $76,044 | 475 | $13,061 |
| Jefferson H S | $75,776 | 291 | $17,244 |
| Laurel Elem | $75,764 | 1,275 | $13,113 |
| Libby K-12 Schools | $75,583 | 1,165 | $14,852 |
| Ronan Elem | $75,170 | 1,099 | $13,817 |
| Great Falls Elem | $74,894 | 7,114 | $13,469 |
| Huntley Project K-12 Schools | $74,806 | 748 | $18,385 |
| Billings H S | $74,574 | 5,660 | $12,352 |
| Arlee Elem | $74,398 | 273 | $21,758 |
| Choteau Elem | $74,218 | 240 | $14,754 |
| Helena Flats Elem | $73,677 | 271 | $9,483 |
| Three Forks H S | $72,721 | 255 | $37,973 |
| Whitehall Elem | $72,542 | 324 | $14,065 |
| Deer Lodge Elem | $72,462 | 400 | $13,890 |
| Roundup Elem | $72,250 | 381 | $14,394 |
| Columbia Falls H S | $71,500 | 671 | $13,677 |
| Target Range Elem | $71,429 | 568 | $11,023 |
| Columbia Falls Elem | $71,202 | 1,551 | $25,195 |
| Bozeman H S | $71,010 | 2,502 | $18,353 |
| Great Falls H S | $70,905 | 3,130 | $12,166 |
| Bigfork H S | $70,883 | 343 | $16,603 |
| Flathead H S | $70,870 | 3,037 | $12,062 |
| St Ignatius K-12 Schools | $70,824 | 475 | $18,086 |
| Bigfork Elem | $70,557 | 605 | $10,600 |
| Browning H S | $69,986 | 553 | $16,837 |
| Lodge Grass Elem | $69,854 | 244 | $20,980 |
| Florence-Carlton K-12 Schls | $69,705 | 813 | $21,715 |
| Sidney Elem | $69,662 | 886 | $11,781 |
| Sidney H S | $69,644 | 388 | $16,168 |
| Ronan H S | $69,569 | 371 | $15,418 |
| Belgrade Elem | $69,537 | 2,356 | $12,958 |
| Columbus Elem | $69,279 | 461 | $14,080 |
| Wolf Point Elem | $69,065 | 528 | $16,498 |
| Manhattan High School | $69,055 | 260 | $15,431 |
| Three Forks Elem | $69,039 | 511 | $19,477 |
| East Helena K-12 | $68,474 | 1,739 | $12,652 |
| Superior K-12 Schools | $68,372 | 349 | $14,226 |
| West Valley Elem | $68,262 | 766 | $10,738 |
| West Yellowstone K-12 | $68,156 | 276 | $13,138 |
| Hamilton K-12 Schools | $68,119 | 1,590 | $12,755 |
| Havre H S | $68,079 | 520 | $12,812 |
| Cut Bank H S | $67,955 | 240 | $15,371 |
| Fairfield Elem | $67,680 | 206 | $13,874 |
| Lolo Elem | $67,537 | 538 | $64,623 |
| Red Lodge Elem | $67,422 | 319 | $14,298 |
| Smith Valley Elem | $67,303 | 219 | $11,845 |
| Dawson H S | $67,289 | 341 | $13,959 |
| Shepherd Elem | $67,208 | 520 | $15,913 |
| Laurel H S | $67,144 | 629 | $11,550 |
| Anderson Elem | $67,023 | 205 | $23,322 |
| Livingston Elem | $66,693 | 848 | $16,601 |
| Butte Elem | $66,515 | 2,964 | $14,590 |
| Poplar H S | $66,326 | 243 | $21,300 |
| Plains K-12 | $65,565 | 450 | $13,591 |
| Independent Elem | $65,481 | 302 | $10,219 |
| Corvallis K-12 Schools | $65,454 | 1,323 | $12,524 |
| Shepherd H S | $65,323 | 265 | $18,928 |
| Monforton Elem | $65,035 | 668 | $10,016 |
| Townsend K-12 Schools | $64,943 | 667 | $28,471 |
| Malta K-12 Schools | $64,725 | 509 | $13,847 |
| Darby K-12 Schools | $64,630 | 349 | $15,014 |
| Belgrade H S | $64,523 | 1,036 | $11,376 |
| Hardin H S | $64,497 | 529 | $16,928 |
| Miles City Elem | $64,260 | 949 | $12,652 |
| Harlowton K-12 | $64,235 | 268 | $18,854 |
| Cut Bank Elem | $63,651 | 552 | $14,025 |
| Fort Benton Elem | $63,578 | 246 | $10,671 |
Showing 1–100 of 139 enrolling districts. Specialized non-enrolling agencies (career/technical centers, county offices, service co-ops) are excluded from the salary ranking, their enrollment-based estimates are not reliable.
Lowest-Paying Districts in Montana
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Lone Rock Elem | $44,575 | 213 |
| Canyon Creek Elem | $45,119 | 249 |
| Park City Elem | $48,405 | 207 |
| Wolf Point H S | $51,778 | 239 |
| Elysian Elem | $53,974 | 391 |
| Lincoln County H S | $54,175 | 293 |
| Joliet Elem | $54,471 | 274 |
| Belt Elem | $54,624 | 275 |
| Clancy Elem | $55,582 | 370 |
| Forsyth Elem | $57,690 | 218 |
Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.
Compare Nearby-Ranked States
Data: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey, FY2022. Salary figures divide instructional expenditure (variable Z33) by each district's reported teacher FTE, or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure. Not individual salary data. Read our methodology.
Montana teacher salary FAQ
What is the average teacher salary in Montana?
Across Montana's 315 public school districts, the average teacher salary is $73,667 (NCES CCD F-33 finance data divided by CCD Staff Universe Survey teacher headcounts, FY2022). This figure is derived from total instructional spending and runs above survey-reported classroom-teacher-only salaries, read it as a relative comparison.
Which Montana school district pays teachers the most?
Hays-Lodge Pole K-12 Schls reports the highest average teacher salary in Montana at $101,722, while Lone Rock Elem sits at the lower end at $44,575.
How does Montana teacher pay compare to the national average?
Montana's average of $73,667 is materially below the national average of $85,759 (-14.1%), ranking #34 of 51 US states and territories.
How many school districts are in Montana?
Montana has 315 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 148,055 students.
Can teachers earn $100,000 in Montana?
3 of 139 Montana districts with reliable data report an estimated average teacher salary of $100,000 or more, led by Hays-Lodge Pole K-12 Schls at $101,722. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.
How does Montana rank after adjusting for cost of living?
Adjusted by the BEA's 2022 Regional Price Parity (90.2, US=100), Montana's purchasing-power-adjusted estimated teacher salary is $81,690, ranking #26 of 51 states and territories, higher than its #34 nominal-salary rank. This is a relative state-level price-level comparison, not take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.
Related
According to the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, PlainTeacher's figures are computed directly, no number is typed in by an editor. Montana's district figures are aggregated directly from each district's FY2022 F-33 submission, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Data current as of FY2022.
| Publisher | PlainTeacher |
| Sources | Public official public datasets |