Fastest-growing jobs in Montana
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in Montana. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Montana.
#50. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.4% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,550
--- Employment in 2022: 3,400
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,420
#49. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.5% (80 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,850
--- Employment in 2022: 1,770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,360
#48. Electricians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.1% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,890
--- Employment in 2022: 2,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,590
#47. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.3% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,400
--- Employment in 2022: 5,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,480
#46. Highway maintenance workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.4% (60 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 1,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $51,440
#45. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.6% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,120
--- Employment in 2022: 4,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,770
#44. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.4% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,790
--- Employment in 2022: 4,500
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,800
#43. Cashiers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.9% (810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 12,570
--- Employment in 2022: 11,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,360
#42. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.9% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,310
--- Employment in 2022: 4,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,470
#41. Lawyers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.2% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,390
--- Employment in 2022: 2,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $94,770
#40. Human resources specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.7% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,370
--- Employment in 2022: 2,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,560
#39. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.9% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,350
--- Employment in 2022: 4,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,480
#38. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.3% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,940
#37. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.6% (100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,260
--- Employment in 2022: 1,160
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,450
#36. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.9% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,580
--- Employment in 2022: 2,370
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,790
#35. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.9% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,340
--- Employment in 2022: 1,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $51,900
#34. Stockers and order fillers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.4% (780 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,100
--- Employment in 2022: 8,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,220
#33. Office clerks, general
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.5% (1,090 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 12,530
--- Employment in 2022: 11,440
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,480
#32. Compliance officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.6% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,250
--- Employment in 2022: 1,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,010
#31. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.8% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,130
--- Employment in 2022: 1,940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,810
#30. Cooks, restaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.8% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,810
--- Employment in 2022: 6,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,880
#29. Medical and health services managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.0% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,320
--- Employment in 2022: 2,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,910
#28. Public relations specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.9% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,220
--- Employment in 2022: 1,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $54,330
#27. Software developers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +11.8% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,370
--- Employment in 2022: 2,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $109,270
#26. Driver/sales workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +11.9% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,160
--- Employment in 2022: 1,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,420
#25. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.0% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,060
--- Employment in 2022: 1,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,160
#24. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.1% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,390
#23. Accountants and auditors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.3% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,390
--- Employment in 2022: 3,910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $67,190
#22. Social and human service assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.4% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,810
--- Employment in 2022: 1,610
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,420
#21. Billing and posting clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.8% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,650
--- Employment in 2022: 1,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,800
#20. Security guards
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.9% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,310
--- Employment in 2022: 1,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,630
#19. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.9% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,810
#18. Food preparation workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.3% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,330
--- Employment in 2022: 1,970
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,550
#17. General and operations managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.3% (1,800 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,120
--- Employment in 2022: 9,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $84,990
#16. Medical assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.4% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,330
--- Employment in 2022: 1,920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,040
#15. Computer and information systems managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.8% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,060
--- Employment in 2022: 870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#14. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.2% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,210
--- Employment in 2022: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,240
#13. Managers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.4% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,530
--- Employment in 2022: 1,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $100,920
#12. Firefighters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.3% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,110
--- Employment in 2022: 900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,950
#11. Receptionists and information clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.0% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,550
--- Employment in 2022: 1,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,260
#10. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.0% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,100
--- Employment in 2022: 880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,140
#9. Dishwashers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.5% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,020
--- Employment in 2022: 1,610
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,270
#8. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.5% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $21,920
#7. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.7% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,120
--- Employment in 2022: 1,660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#6. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.3% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Employment in 2022: 1,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,130
#5. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.8% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,090
--- Employment in 2022: 840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,940
#4. Financial managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.3% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,160
--- Employment in 2022: 890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $120,270
#3. Information and record clerks, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.4% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,330
--- Employment in 2022: 1,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,020
#2. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +54.5% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,740
#1. Construction managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +72.3% (730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,740
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $112,080
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
