--- title: "Operating Engineer Programs in Montana: Pay & Tuition" canonical: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/ description: "Operating Engineer pay in Montana: BLS average $63,350 (all experience levels), median $61,580, bottom 10% $48,130. 5 listed programs." updated: 2026-11-03 wage_source: "BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15" --- 1. [Home](https://highpayingtrades.com/) 2. [Trades](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/) 3. [Operating Engineer](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/) 4. Montana Montana # Operating Engineer programs in *Montana* 5 listed heavy equipment operator programs in Montana, plus BLS pay data for the state and 5 metro areas. - **$63,350** Average pay (state, all experience levels) - **$48,130** Entry-level / bottom 10% - **$61,580** Median pay (state) - **$79,880** Top 10% earn over 3,750 jobs in Montana · 5 listed programs. Average = BLS mean across all experience levels, not starting pay. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. Cities with listed programs - [East Helena 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/east-helena/) - [Kalispell 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/kalispell/) - [Miles City 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/miles-city/) - [Missoula 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/missoula/) - [Pablo 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/pablo/) BLS wage data ## Operating Engineer pay in Montana Annual wages from the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. | Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Montana | $48,130 | $56,310 | $61,580 | $72,130 | $79,880 | $63,350 | 3,750 | | United States | $42,190 | $48,680 | $59,850 | $77,170 | $101,090 | $66,290 | 478,090 | Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. ### Metro areas | Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Bozeman, MT | $54,180 | $61,380 | $68,160 | $78,380 | $84,740 | $69,520 | 530 | | Missoula, MT | $47,040 | $57,930 | $64,050 | $71,750 | $79,210 | $63,900 | 310 | | Helena, MT | $47,520 | $59,590 | $62,570 | $65,350 | $80,280 | $63,460 | 220 | | Great Falls, MT | $49,830 | $50,190 | $62,090 | $75,720 | $87,090 | $65,150 | 170 | | Billings, MT | $49,870 | $59,060 | $61,990 | $72,490 | $79,340 | $64,560 | 540 | Metropolitan area estimates, BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. Only areas BLS published are shown. Programs ## Listed programs in Montana Every heavy equipment operator program we matched in Montana. Schools with published tuition are listed first. | Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Flathead Valley Community College](https://www.fvcc.edu/) Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Kalispell, MT | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 7 | $5,024–$11,973 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 | | [Miles Community College](https://www.milescc.edu/) Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Miles City, MT | Certificate (1-2 years) | 0 | $6,090–$12,120 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 | | [Salish Kootenai College](https://www.skc.edu/) Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Pablo, MT | Certificate (1-2 years) | 7 | $4,485–$12,117 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 | | [The University of Montana](https://www.umt.edu/) Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Missoula, MT | Certificate (1-2 years) | 6 | $9,188–$34,312 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 | | Montana Operating Engineers AGCJATT Local 400 | East Helena, MT | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship | Schools: NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code; “Graduates 2023-24” is the number of first-major certificates or associate degrees the school awarded in that program from July 2023 to June 2024 (IPEDS). Tuition: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (updated 2026-10-15), matched by IPEDS unit ID; it is the published figure, not a quote. Apprenticeship sponsors: DOL Office of Apprenticeship partner file (retrieved 2026-10-29); apprenticeships are typically paid, so no tuition is listed — contact the program. ### Browse by city - [East Helena 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/east-helena/) - [Kalispell 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/kalispell/) - [Miles City 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/miles-city/) - [Missoula 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/missoula/) - [Pablo 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/pablo/) Related resources ## Keep researching [**GI Bill heavy equipment operator schools** Schools approved for VA benefits. · VeteranTradeSchools.com](https://veterantradeschools.com/heavy-equipment-operator/) [**Verified CDL training schools** Many equipment jobs also involve hauling machines; compare CDL programs. · VerifiedCDLSchools.com](https://verifiedcdlschools.com/) [**Registered apprenticeships in Montana** The full DOL sponsor list for the state. · RegisteredTradeSchools.com](https://registeredtradeschools.com/apprenticeships/mt/) ## Sources - **Wages:** U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 ([news release USDL-26-0725](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm); [data tables](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm)). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-03. - **Occupation:** O\*NET OnLine, [47-2073.00 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/47-2073.00), retrieved 2026-11-03 (CC BY 4.0). - **Apprenticeship sponsors:** U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: partner sponsors file, retrieved 2026-10-29 ([Partner Finder](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/partner-finder)). - **Schools & graduates:** U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024\_A) and Institutional Characteristics (HD2024), award year 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code ([completions file](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/data/C2024_A.zip); [CIP-SOC crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Files/CIP2020_SOC2018_Crosswalk.xlsx)). - **Tuition:** U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts: Institution + Field of Study), data updated 2026-10-15, matched by IPEDS unit ID ([source](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/)). Program listings are matched from public files by occupation code or organization name; they are not endorsements and we have not visited or tested any program. Confirm schedules, entry requirements and costs with the program. Compiled by the HighPayingTrades team; last refreshed 2026-11-03. --- Canonical HTML: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/montana/ Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm). Programs: NCES IPEDS 2023-24 completions; DOL Office of Apprenticeship. Tuition: College Scorecard.