How Much Does a Pharmacy Tech Make in Montana in 2026?

A typical Pharmacy Tech in Montana earns about $23.75 per hour ($49,400 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay comes to roughly $4,117 a month and $950 a week. These figures capture pay across retail pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics throughout the state. Montana Pharmacy Techs see this pay regardless of where in the state they work, though city-level figures vary somewhat.

Montana pay runs 8% above the national figure of $45,750 a year, according to the same May 2025 data. That places Montana 6th among all 51 states for Pharmacy Tech pay. About 1,340 Pharmacy Techs work in Montana, a modest workforce compared to larger states, but enough to establish a reliable statewide pay picture. The state's ranking reflects consistently strong pay relative to much of the country.

Entry-level positions in Montana typically offer around $18.43 an hour ($38,330 a year) for those just starting out as Pharmacy Techs. This is common for technicians with limited experience or those newly certified. Pay tends to rise as technicians gain experience, moving toward the state's typical figure of $23.75 an hour within a few years. Retail and community pharmacy settings often serve as the entry point for this early-career pay range.

Experienced Pharmacy Techs in Montana often earn upwards of $26.77 an hour, with the top 10% of earners making over $29.22 an hour ($60,780 a year). That puts a $22,450 gap between entry-level and top-tier pay in the state. Setting plays a role, with hospital and specialty pharmacies often paying more than retail chains, and years of experience and city of employment also factor into where a technician lands within that range.

Montana Pharmacy Tech pay has climbed steadily over the past decade, rising from $33,110 in 2015 to $49,400 in 2025. That is a gain of $16,290, or 49%, over ten years. The increase has been fairly consistent year over year, with the sharpest jumps occurring between 2022 and 2025. Pay in 2025 sits at its highest point in the decade-long record.

Nationally, Pharmacy Tech pay rose about 50% over the same decade, putting Montana's 49% increase almost exactly in line with the country as a whole. Someone starting as a Pharmacy Tech in Montana today enters a field where pay has moved up substantially over the past ten years. Past growth is not a promise of future increases, but the decade-long trend points in a positive direction statewide.

Pay runs highest in Bozeman, where Pharmacy Techs typically earn $54,750 a year ($26.32 an hour), about 11% above the statewide figure. Helena follows at $49,910 a year, and Great Falls comes in close behind at $49,110 a year. Both cities pay near or slightly above the state's typical figure, reflecting solid local pharmacy markets outside Montana's largest metro areas.

Missoula pays the least among Montana's tracked cities, with typical pay at $48,570 a year, putting the full city-to-city spread at $6,180. Billings employs the most Pharmacy Techs of any Montana city, with 290 workers earning a typical $48,820 a year ($23.47 an hour). These figures reflect each city's full metro area, and differences across cities often track local living costs as much as anything else.

Montana pays Pharmacy Techs more than each of its closest neighbors. Wyoming's typical pay of $48,260 a year runs about 2% below Montana's figure, while North Dakota ($47,560), Idaho ($46,420), and South Dakota ($46,170) trail by 4%, 6%, and 7%, respectively. For technicians weighing a move across state lines, certification or registration earned in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring one, though requirements vary by state.

Pharmacy Techs in Montana typically earn $49,400 a year ($23.75 an hour), a figure that has risen 49% over the past decade. Pay varies by city and experience level, with Bozeman leading and Missoula trailing among the state's tracked metro areas. Readers considering this path can check Montana's licensing and registry requirements for specifics, and review city-level pages for local pay figures before deciding where to work.