BSN Salaries in Montana

With the strong demand for more skilled healthcare workers in Montana, the state is placing an increased emphasis on improving access to comprehensive education for the students who will eventually go on to fill these jobs.

Nurses represent a major component of this workforce, and those with BSNs are better able to contribute to keeping patients healthy, while also commanding higher salaries.

Analysis of the Salaries of BSN Prepared RNs in Montana

The salaries of nurses rise with their level of education and ability to take on more clinical responsibilities. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the findings of a 2013 analysis of the top-earning RNs in Montana, which represented those with BSN degrees:

Percentile
Annual Salary
90th Percentile
$79420
75th Percentile
$69490

In contrast, RNs with ADN degrees only earned an average of $46,030.

Healthcare is the fastest growing industry in Montana. The state’s Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) reported the number of jobs for registered nurses expected to become available in the near future in the projections shown here:

  • 328 openings are expected for 2015
  • 322 openings are expected each year between 2016 and 2022

However, a survey of Montana’s employers revealed that demand for registered nurses might, in fact, be even higher than these projections indicate, according to a 2014 report by Montana HealthCARE.

Salaries for BSN-Educated RNs throughout Montana

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the salaries of nurses with BSN degrees in key regions throughout Montana (2013):

Area name
Employment
Hourly 90th percentile wage
Billings MT
2000
43.03
Great Falls MT
940
35.36
Missoula MT
1350
40.03
Eastern Montana nonmetropolitan area
650
34.66
Central Montana nonmetropolitan area
670
33.78
Southwestern Montana nonmetropolitan area
2160
36.32
Western Montana nonmetropolitan area
1230
37.25