Retail Salespersons
Median $17.44 an hour in Montana · 13,490 jobs
Montana · 2026 take-home pay
$18 an hour after taxes in Montana
At $18 an hour in Montana you keep about $15.03 of every hour — $601 a week, $2,605 a month or $31,260 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Montana income tax. Montana has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $10.85 an hour.
Where $18 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $37,440 | $720 | $18.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,313 | −$44 | −$1.11 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,321 | −$45 | −$1.12 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$543 | −$10 | −$0.26 |
| Montana income tax | −$1,003 | −$19 | −$0.48 |
| Take-home pay | $31,260 | $601 | $15.03 |
Effective tax rate 16.5% · federal bracket 12% · Montana bracket 4.7%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $720.00 | $601.16 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,440.00 | $1,202.31 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,560.00 | $1,302.50 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,120.00 | $2,605.01 |
$18 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Montana for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $18 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $360 | $325 | $16,903 |
| 30 hours a week | $540 | $465 | $24,171 |
| 40 hours a week | $720 | $601 | $31,260 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $855 | $703 | $36,571 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $990 | $805 | $41,881 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $18 an hour good pay in Montana?
- Minimum wage: $18 an hour is 1.7 times Montana's minimum wage of $10.85 an hour. Businesses with annual sales over $110,000.
- Among Montana workers: It's about the 25th percentile of hourly pay in Montana (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 25 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $23.43 an hour.
- Local prices: Montana's price level is 94.6% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $31,260 a year buys about what $33,029 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $936 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,303 a month for needs, $782 for wants and $521 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Montana that pay about $18 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Montana is within 4% of $18 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median $17.61 an hour in Montana · 10,400 jobs
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $17.84 an hour in Montana · 8,320 jobs
Cooks, Restaurant
Median $18.30 an hour in Montana · 7,580 jobs
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
Median $17.86 an hour in Montana · 2,290 jobs
Tellers
Median $18.31 an hour in Montana · 1,660 jobs
How Montana compares on $18 an hour
Montana ranks 29th of 51 for take-home pay on $18 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | $15.03 | $31,260 | $10.85 | — |
| Idaho | $15.09 | $31,387 | $7.25 | +$127 a year |
| North Dakota | $15.51 | $32,263 | $7.25 | +$1,003 a year |
| South Dakota | $15.51 | $32,263 | $11.85 | +$1,003 a year |
| Wyoming | $15.51 | $32,263 | $7.25 | +$1,003 a year |
How the federal tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $21,340. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $8,940 | $1,073 |
| Total | $21,340 | $2,313 |
How the Montana income tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 of Montana wages minus $16,100 standard deduction = $21,340.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 4.7% | $21,340 | $1,003 |
| Total | $21,340 | $1,003 |
Common questions
How much is $18 an hour after taxes in Montana?
About $15.03 for every hour you work, or $31,260 a year at 40 hours a week ($37,440 gross). Taxes take about 16.5% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $18 an hour a week after taxes in Montana?
About $601 a week at 40 hours, from $720 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,202.
How much is $18 an hour a month after taxes in Montana?
About $2,605 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,120 gross.
Is $18 an hour good pay in Montana?
$18 an hour is 1.7 times Montana's minimum wage of $10.85 an hour. It's about the 25th percentile of hourly pay in Montana (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 25 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Montana is $23.43. After taxes and local prices, $31,260 a year buys about what $33,029 would at national-average prices.
Is Montana a high-tax state for $18 an hour?
It ranks 29th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $18 an hour. The most you'd keep is $32,263 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $29,764 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Montana
- $14 an hour in Montana
- $15 an hour in Montana
- $16 an hour in Montana
- $17 an hour in Montana
- $19 an hour in Montana
- $20 an hour in Montana
- $21 an hour in Montana
- $22 an hour in Montana
$18 an hour in every state · $35,000 a year in Montana · $40,000 a year in Montana · Montana paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Montana's income tax rules (methodology). Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.