Montana Minimum Wage 2026
Last updated: · Source: Montana Department of Labor
Montana · Minimum Wage 2026
Effective 2026-01-01
Data last verified: 2026-07-09
Tipped Rate
$10.85/hr
Tip Credit
None
Exempt Salary
$684/wk
Effective Date
2026-01-01
Montana Wage Calculator
Current Montana Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Montana is $10.85 per hour in 2026, effective 2026-01-01. This is above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Employers must pay the higher of the two rates, so the Montana rate applies. See the federal minimum wage page for how the FLSA floor applies nationwide.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers must pay the highest minimum wage that legally applies to a work location, whether set federally, by the state, or by a city or county ordinance.
Montana Tipped Minimum Wage
Montana does not allow employers to take a tip credit. All employees, including servers, bartenders, and other tipped workers, must be paid the full minimum wage of $10.85/hr in cash wages, regardless of tips received.
Montana Exempt Employee Salary Threshold (2026)
An "exempt" employee is a salaried worker who, by law, isn't entitled to overtime pay (time-and-a-half) for hours worked beyond 40 in a week. Whether a salaried employee actually qualifies as exempt depends on both their pay and their job duties. Montana follows the federal FLSA salary threshold. To qualify for the white-collar (executive, administrative, or professional) overtime exemption, salaried employees must earn at least $684/week ($35,568/year) in 2026.
City & County Minimum Wages in Montana
Montana permits cities and counties to set higher local minimum wage rates. The following major cities follow the state rate:
| City / County | 2026 Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | $10.85/hr (state rate) | Follows Montana's $10.85 state minimum wage; no Montana city or county has enacted its own minimum wage ordinance. |
| Missoula | $10.85/hr (state rate) | Follows Montana's $10.85 state minimum wage; no Montana city or county has enacted its own minimum wage ordinance. |
| Bozeman | $10.85/hr (state rate) | Follows Montana's $10.85 state minimum wage; no Montana city or county has enacted its own minimum wage ordinance. |
| Helena | $10.85/hr (state rate) | Follows Montana's $10.85 state minimum wage; no Montana city or county has enacted its own minimum wage ordinance. |
Montana Minimum Wage History
The following table shows minimum wage rates in Montana over the past several years.
| Year | Minimum Wage | Effective Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $10.85/hr | 2026-01-01 | |
| 2025 | $10.55/hr | 2025-01-01 | |
| 2020 | $8.65/hr | 2020-01-01 |
Frequently Asked Questions
The minimum wage in Montana is $10.85 per hour in 2026, effective 2026-01-01. Montana does not allow a tip credit: tipped employees earn the full $10.85/hr rate.
Montana's minimum wage increased from $10.55 to $10.85/hr effective January 1, 2026 under its annual Consumer Price Index adjustment. Montana does not allow any tip credit, so tipped employees receive the full minimum wage.
Montana does not allow employers to take a tip credit. All employees, including tipped workers, must be paid the full minimum wage of $10.85 per hour.
Montana follows the federal FLSA salary threshold. Salaried exempt employees must earn at least $684/week ($35,568/year) to qualify for the white-collar overtime exemption in 2026.
Montana does not prohibit local minimum wage ordinances, but no cities currently have a rate higher than the state minimum of $10.85/hr.