How much does a Auto Mechanic make in Montana?

The average Auto Mechanic salary in Montana is around $50,000 per year. After federal taxes, FICA, and Montana state taxes, your estimated take-home pay is approximately $40,201 annually ($3,350/month).

What is the take-home pay for a Auto Mechanic in Montana?

On a $50,000 salary in Montana, your take-home pay is approximately $40,201/year or $3,350/month. Federal tax: $3,820. State tax: $2,154. FICA: $0.00.

Is $50,000 a good Auto Mechanic salary?

$50,000 is a competitive salary for a Auto Mechanic — near the national median. In Montana, demand for this role is active.

How do Montana taxes affect Auto Mechanic salaries?

Montana levies state income tax on top of federal taxes. Your estimated state tax on $50,000 is $2,154. Your total effective tax rate is approximately 19.6%.

What are the career growth prospects for Auto Mechanics?

2% growth through 2032 (about as fast as average); EV/hybrid specialty growing faster. Related roles include: Automotive Technician, Master Tech, Diesel Mechanic, EV Technician, Diagnostic Specialist, Service Manager.

How can a Auto Mechanic in Montana reduce their tax bill?

Maximize your 401(k) contribution ($24,500 in 2026) to reduce taxable income. An HSA ($4,400 single / $8,750 family) adds further pre-tax savings. These strategies can save thousands annually — use our calculator to see your exact savings.

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Auto Mechanic Salary in Montana (2026)

The average Auto Mechanic in Montana earns around $50,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $40,201/year ($3,350/month).

Take-Home Pay Breakdown

Category	Amount
Annual Take-Home Pay	$40,201
Monthly Take-Home Pay	$3,350
Biweekly Take-Home Pay	$1,546
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year	$19/hr
Federal Tax	$3,820
State Tax	$2,154
FICA Taxes	$3,825
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary	19.6%

Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

Want to model 401(k), HSA, or pre-tax contributions against your full salary? Open the salary calculator →

1099 contract work or side gigs? Self-employment tax adds 15.3% on top. Open the 1099 tax calculator →

Got a year-end bonus, sign-on, or retention payout? See the bonus calculator →

Working overtime? The 2025 OBBBA deduction may save you up to $12,500 on federal tax. Open the No Tax on Overtime calculator →

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Auto Mechanic Salary Ranges in Montana

Entry Level (0–3 yrs)

$40,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Mid Level (3–7 yrs)

$56,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Senior Level (7+ yrs)

$95,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Not all Auto Mechanics earn the same — not even close

Montana's auto mechanic market is anchored by the Billings metro dealership cluster (Billings + Laurel + the substantial Billings largest MT city + the substantial Billings Phillips 66 + ExxonMobil + CHS Laurel refinery corporate market + Billings Clinic + St Vincent Healthcare + the substantial Billings Yellowstone County industrial), Missoula + Bitterroot Valley dealerships (the substantial Missoula UM University of Montana + Providence Health + the substantial Bitterroot Valley + post-2020 remote-tech migration), Bozeman + Belgrade + Big Sky dealerships (the substantial Bozeman MSU Montana State University + Bozeman Health Deaconess + the substantial Bozeman post-2020 fastest-growing MT metro + the substantial Big Sky Resort + the substantial Yellowstone Club UHNW + the substantial post-2020 Bozeman tech boom + ImageTrend + Onx Maps + Oracle Bozeman), Great Falls dealerships (the substantial Great Falls Malmstrom AFB + the substantial Cascade County industrial), Helena + Butte + Kalispell dealerships (Helena state capital + Butte mining heritage + Kalispell Flathead Lake + Glacier NP gateway), plus substantial Bakken oil cross-border heavy fleet at eastern MT (Sidney + Glendive + the substantial Williston ND border + the substantial Bakken oil + gas + the substantial Bakken frac + drilling + pipeline fleet), Stillwater Mining heavy equipment (Sibanye-Stillwater palladium + platinum + the substantial only US palladium + platinum source + the substantial Stillwater Columbus + Nye mine + the substantial Stillwater Sweetgrass County), Malmstrom AFB Great Falls (~5K Malmstrom personnel + 341st Missile Wing Minuteman III ICBM + post-2027 Sentinel ICBM beddown + the substantial Malmstrom 150 ICBM silos), plus Yellowstone NP + Glacier NP + Montana State Parks NPS fleet.

ASE Master Tech (Dealer Service)

$52,000–$85,000+

Dealer master tech at Billings + Missoula + Bozeman + Great Falls · ASE Master + dealer-brand cert · top flat-rate

Bakken Oil / Heavy Equipment Specialist

$65,000–$108,000+ OT

Caterpillar + Cummins + Peterbilt · Bakken oil + gas heavy fleet + Williston ND cross-border + Sidney + Glendive

Mining Heavy Equipment (Stillwater)

$60,000–$95,000+ OT

Stillwater Mining Sibanye palladium + platinum + the substantial Stillwater Columbus + Nye heavy equipment

European Import / Luxury Specialist

$58,000–$92,000+

Bozeman + Big Sky + Whitefish European + luxury · post-2020 Yellowstone Club + UHNW remote-tech migration

EV / Hybrid Specialist

$58,000–$92,000+

Tesla Bozeman + Ford F-150 Lightning + GM EV + Toyota hybrid · MT EV growth + Big Sky luxury

Diesel / Heavy Equipment Mechanic

$55,000–$85,000+ OT

Caterpillar + Cummins · MT ag + ranch + commercial fleet + Malmstrom AFB GSE + the substantial MT heavy equipment

Senior Service Manager

$62,000–$108,000+

Dealership service manager · Billings + Bozeman + Missoula · administrative + flag-hour

Collision Repair Technician (I-CAR Platinum)

$45,000–$72,000+

I-CAR Platinum collision technician · MT hail + deer-strike + the substantial MT mountain rock-strike + DRP shop

Mid-Career Mechanic (4-8 yrs)

$38,000–$55,000+

Mid-career tech transitioning to ASE Master · flat-rate at MT dealerships

Entry Mechanic / Tech Apprentice

$28,000–$42,000+

Entry technician · MSU-Northern Havre + Great Falls College MSU + Bitterroot College + Missoula College pipeline

Worth knowing: Montana's Bakken oil cross-border heavy fleet + Stillwater Mining only US palladium + Malmstrom AFB Minuteman III + Big Sky Resort + Yellowstone Club UHNW + Phillips 66 + ExxonMobil + CHS Laurel refineries + post-2020 Bozeman tech boom concentration is a distinctive MT auto mechanic feature most national surveys understate. The substantial post-2020 Bakken oil cross-border heavy fleet (the substantial Bakken Williston Basin + the substantial Bakken eastern MT Sidney + Glendive + Lambert + the substantial Williston ND cross-border + the substantial Bakken oil + gas pipeline + frac + drilling + the substantial Bakken post-2020 oil + gas recovery + the substantial Bakken heavy equipment mechanic demand) supports substantial eastern MT diesel + heavy equipment mechanic demand — Bakken heavy diesel mechanics clear $65-108K + OT, comparable to ND Williston wages. Stillwater Mining Sibanye-Stillwater (the substantial only US palladium + platinum source + the substantial Stillwater Columbus + Nye Sweetgrass County mine + the substantial Stillwater ~1,500 employees + the substantial Stillwater Lonmin South African merger Sibanye-Stillwater + the substantial Stillwater post-2020 palladium price boom) supports specialized mining heavy equipment mechanic work. Malmstrom AFB Great Falls (~5K Malmstrom personnel + the substantial 341st Missile Wing Minuteman III ICBM + the substantial Malmstrom 150 Minuteman III silos across MT + the substantial post-2027 Sentinel ICBM LGM-35A beddown + the substantial Malmstrom $3B+ Sentinel infrastructure modernization + the substantial Malmstrom cleared facility) supports substantial Great Falls federal civilian + base fleet diesel + GSE mechanic work. Big Sky Resort + Yellowstone Club UHNW market (the substantial Big Sky Resort largest US ski area by acreage + the substantial Yellowstone Club invitation-only UHNW members including Bill Gates + Justin Timberlake + Tom Brady + the substantial Big Sky ~$5M-$50M+ UHNW second-home market + the substantial post-2020 Bozeman + Big Sky remote-tech migration) drives European import + Land Rover + Range Rover specialty work — European import specialists at Bozeman + Big Sky clear $58-92K. Phillips 66 + ExxonMobil + CHS Inc Laurel refineries (the substantial Billings + Laurel refining cluster + the substantial Phillips 66 Billings refinery + the substantial ExxonMobil Billings refinery + the substantial CHS Inc Laurel refinery + the substantial Billings refining corporate fleet) supports substantial Billings industrial fleet demand. MT winter salt + the substantial MT mountain rock-strike + hail + deer-strike + the substantial MT Glacier NP wildlife + the substantial MT polar vortex drive sustained collision repair + DRP shop work. MSU-Northern Havre + Great Falls College MSU + Bitterroot College + Missoula College + Helena College + Salish Kootenai College feed the MT auto-mechanic pipeline. MT progressive 4.7% / 5.9% (post-2024 SB 121 simplified to 2 brackets from prior 1.0-6.75% 7-bracket) + MT 0% state sales tax (one of 5 US no-sales-tax states alongside AK + DE + NH + OR) + MT NO estate tax + MT NOT a RTW state + MPERA Montana Public Employees Retirement Administration anchor the MT auto-mechanic proposition.