The 2024 minimum wage rate in Montana is $10.30 per hour, this is after an increase of $0.35 from the previous year.
Montana’s minimum wage has been gradually increasing over the past few years, and the latest increase represented a percentage increase of 3.5%.
Having an understanding and keeping up-to-date with the Montana minimum wage is pivotal for employers, ensuring that their employees are paid according to state law.
Likewise, employees in Montana, need to know what the absolute minimum is that they should be paid to protect their workers’ rights.
As an employee in Montana, here is what your earnings would look like if you were to be paid the statewide minimum wage rate on a full-time basis:
- Daily Minimum Wage: $82.40 (based on an 8-hour working day).
- Weekly Minimum Wage: $412.00 (based on a 40-hour week).
- Monthly Minimum Wage: $1,785.33 (based on a full-time month).
- Yearly Minimum Wage: $21,424.00 (based on being paid 2080 hours per year).
Montana’s minimum wage increase is calculated via the Consumer Price Index which measures a cost-of-living adjustment within the state.
Many believe this is the fairest way of increasing the minimum wage each year.
The graphic below displays the Montana state minimum wage over the past several years, with the rate dating back from 2019 to the present 2024.
As you can see, the Montana minimum wage has been increasing steadily and consistently over the past few years:
This is calculated between August of the current year and August of the preceding year.
If there is no increase in the CPI, then generally, there is no minimum wage increase in Montana, but if there is, the minimum wage per hour is increased by this amount and rounded up to the nearest 5 cents.
Montana does have some exemptions to the minimum wage rate, depending on several factors, but mainly due to somebody’s employment situation and job type.
Montana Minimum Wage Exemptions
In addition to the regular minimum wage rate, there are a few Montana state minimum wage exemptions that typically depend on your age or employment situation.
Below are the various minimum wage exemptions with some situational examples.
Montana Student Minimum Wage
The minimum wage for student employees in Montana is 85% of the Montana minimum wage, making their hourly pay $8.75 per hour in 2024.
This hourly rate is for any hours worked up to 20 hours per week. As a student employee, once you surpass 20 hours per week, you will be eligible for the Montana state minimum wage rate of $10.30 per hour.
Being a student can be financially challenging, leading many students to pick up part-time jobs to make extra money while studying.
Despite a student minimum wage rate, many Montana employers will not necessarily follow it and pay you equal to or more than the statewide minimum wage.
Many work-study programs are available at universities, which is a route many students go down.
Still, coffee shop, cafe, bar, and restaurant jobs are commonly taken by students as they can work them into their class schedule.
Montana Under 20 Minimum Wage
If you are under 20 years old in Montana, federal law allows your employer to pay you as little as $4.25 per hour for your first 90 days of employment.
Once the 90-day period is over, you will be eligible to be paid the 2024 Montana minimum wage of $10.30 per hour or potentially even more.
Fortunately for young workers, this is 90 calendar days and not 90 working days; therefore, it can be completed relatively quickly and within about three months.
Montana Tipped Minimum Wage
There are two tipped minimum wage rates in the state of Montana, a minimum wage for employees working for a business that grosses annual sales over $110,000, which is the regular minimum wage of $10.30 per hour.
The second tipped minimum wage rate is $4.00 per hour for employees working for businesses that are not covered by the
Fair Labor Standards Act and with gross annual sales of $110,000 or less.
With the $4.00 tip minimum wage rate, you will be eligible for a tip credit rate of $6.30 if you do not make $10.30 per hour with your tipped wage and tips included.
Learn more about the complications related to the tipped minimum wage in Montana by checking out our Montana server guide.
Montana Overtime Minimum Wage
Once you work over 40 hours a week, you are eligible to be paid an overtime rate of 1.5 times your hourly wage for every hour you work past 40.
So, the overtime minimum wage in Montana is $15.45 per hour, 1.5 times the minimum wage of $10.30 per hour.
Employment Type Minimum Wage Exemptions in Montana
Here are some examples of different employees who are exempt from the statewide minimum wage rate in Montana:
- Executive employees
- Administrative employees
- Professionals
- Apprentices
Montana Minimum Wage History
The table below shows the current rate and history of Montana’s minimum wage over the past 40+ years since 1983.
You can see when there were increases in the minimum wage, how much they were, and what percentage increase it represents each year.
| Year | Minimum Wage | Increase ($) | Increase (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $10.30 | $0.35 | 3.5% |
| 2023 | $9.95 | $0.75 | 8.15% |
| 2022 | $9.20 | $0.45 | 5.14% |
| 2021 | $8.75 | $0.10 | 1.15% |
| 2020 | $8.65 | $0.15 | 1.8% |
| 2019 | $8.50 | $0.20 | 2.4% |
| 2018 | $8.30 | $0.25 | 3.1% |
| 2017 | $8.15 | $0.10 | 1.2% |
| 2016 | $8.05 | $0 | 0% |
| 2015 | $8.05 | $0.15 | 1.9% |
| 2014 | $7.90 | $0.25 | 3.3% |
| 2013 | $7.65 | $0 | 0% |
| 2012 | $7.65 | $0.30 | 4.1% |
| 2011 | $7.35 | $0.10 | 1.3% |
| 2010 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2009 | $7.25 | $0.70 | 11% |
| 2008 | $6.55 | $0 | 0% |
| 2007 | $6.15 | $1.00 | 19.41% |
| 2006 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2005 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2004 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2003 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2002 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2001 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2000 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 1999 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 1998 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 1997 | $5.15 | $0.40 | 8.42% |
| 1996 | $4.75 | $0.50 | 11.76% |
| 1995 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1994 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1993 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1992 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1991 | $4.25 | $0.45 | 11.84% |
| 1990 | $3.80 | $0.45 | 7.04% |
| 1989 | $3.35 | $0 | 0% |
| 1988 | $3.35 | $0 | 0% |
| 1987 | $3.35 | $0 | 0% |
| 1986 | $3.35 | $0.30 | 9.83% |
| 1985 | $3.05 | $0.30 | 10.90% |
| 1984 | $2.75 | $0 | 0% |
| 1983 | $2.75 | $0 | 0% |
To find out more information regarding the US minimum wage by state, check out our page that has a table in alphabetical order of all 50 states, including historical state minimum wage rates and increases from previous years.
Montana Department of Labor and Industry Minimum Wage Posters and Contact Details
As a Montana employer, you need to keep yourself compliant with the law. To do this, you need to display a Montana Labor Law poster in a prominent place.
The good news is that you can acquire one of these posters for free from the Department of Labor and Industry website, and download the poster.
If you wish to contact the department directly, here are all of the contact details you need:
Department of Labor and Industry
Physical Address:
301 South Park Avenue, Floor 5
Helena, MT 59601
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 8011
Helena, MT 59604
Telephone: (406) 444-6543
Email: dliservicedesk@service.mt.gov
