Excavation costs and wages in Montana
What equipment operators and construction laborers earn in Montana, how many excavation contractors are listed here and in which counties, and the state's licensing rules. Job prices aren't published for any one state, so our price ranges are national.
Checked October 2, 2026
Wages in Montana
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Montana earn a median of $29.61 an hour, or $61,580 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $27.07 and $34.68 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 3,750 of these jobs in Montana. That's above the national median of $28.78 an hour (BLS).
Construction laborers in Montana earn a median of $23.96 an hour, or $49,830 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $20.80 and $28.24 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 4,590 of these jobs in Montana. That's above the national median of $22.66 an hour (BLS).
These are wages, not prices. A contractor's price also covers materials, equipment, insurance, overhead and profit, so a wage can't be turned into what a job costs you. BLS counts employees only, not the self-employed.
Contractors in Montana
Montana has 681 excavation contractors listed, and 538 of them hold an active USDOT registration. Of the counties with pages of their own, the largest are Gallatin County (88), Flathead County (78), Missoula County (65), Ravalli County (60) and Lincoln County (35). Browse them by county, or ask for quotes and we'll match you with excavation contractors near you.
Permits and rules in Montana
Montana licenses contractors through the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program (Montana Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program; Construction Contractor License (CCL) FAQ, rev. 05/19/2026).
National price ranges
National price ranges for excavation, clearing, grading and driveway work, each credited to its source, are in our guides to excavation, land clearing, grading and driveway costs.
For a planning range on your own job, run the estimator.
Montana against the national range
Published labor data puts the West roughly 20% above the Southeast (SiteX).
That's an average across a region, not a price for your job, and local quotes vary inside it.
Get quotes from contractors in your county
One request instead of calling contractors one at a time. We'll match you with an excavation contractor near you. It's free, and you don't have to hire anyone.
Cite this page
“Excavation costs and wages in Montana.” LeaderExcavation.com, updated October 2, 2026. https://leaderexcavation.com/mt/costs/