Montana minimum wage in 2026
The minimum wage in Montana is $10.85 an hour in 2026. It applies to businesses with sales over $110,000.
Scheduled increases
- January 1, 2027: rises to $11.20
Tipped minimum wage
Montana doesn't allow a tip credit, so tipped workers get the full minimum before tips.
Good to know
- A business not covered by federal law, with sales of $110,000 or less, may pay $4.00 an hour, but any employee covered by federal law must get the higher of the federal or Montana rate.
How the pay is calculated
Monthly = weekly × 52 ÷ 12 · Yearly = weekly × 52
Federal law requires time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek for most hourly workers, so the calculator pays 1.5× for those hours. The after-tax figure subtracts 2026 federal income tax (with the standard deduction), Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%) and Montana income tax for the whole year.
Worked example
A full-time job at $10.85 an hour, 40 hours a week: $10.85 × 40 = $434.00 a week. Times 52 weeks, that's $22,568 a year, or $1,880.67 a month.
For a single filer, taxes for the year come to $646.80 federal income tax, $1,726.45 Social Security and Medicare, Montana income tax of $304. That leaves about $19,891 a year, or $382.51 a week.
At $11.20 from January 1, 2027, the same 40-hour week pays $448.00, or $23,296 a year before tax.
Montana minimum wage pay table
| Hours a week | Weekly | Monthly | Yearly | Yearly after tax* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours | $217.00 | $940.33 | $11,284 | $10,421 |
| 30 hours | $325.50 | $1,410.50 | $16,926 | $15,510 |
| 40 hours | $434.00 | $1,880.67 | $22,568 | $19,891 |
*Single filer, 2026 taxes, no pre-tax deductions or local tax.
What this doesn't cover
- Some jobs have their own rules: tipped workers, minors, students, trainees, farm work and very small employers can have different minimums. The U.S. Department of Labor notes its state table doesn't show these.
- Daily overtime rules (for example California's after 8 hours a day) aren't included; only weekly overtime over 40 hours is.
- Tax is an estimate for a full year at the same hours. Refundable credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, which many minimum wage workers qualify for, aren't included.
See your exact paycheck with the Montana paycheck calculator. Compare every state on the minimum wage by state page.
Sources
- Montana Department of Labor & Industry: Montana's Minimum Wage
- U.S. Department of Labor: State Minimum Wage Laws (updated July 1, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Labor: Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees (July 1, 2026)
Figures last reviewed October 2026. Tax estimates use the same 2026 federal and state tables as the paycheck calculator.