Pay Plans & Salary Surveys

The Blue Collar Pay Plan is a collectively bargained pay plan for organized trade and craft employees in Montana's executive branch (except the university system). The plan has remained essentially the same since it's inception in the 1970s. Placement on the 14-grade single rate pay plan is determined through collective bargaining using a comparative job evaluation system. The State Office of Labor Relations and bargaining agents negotiate the pay rates attached to the schedule biennially. If the parties reach settlement prior to the legislative session, those negotiated pay rates then become the basis for the proposed increases contained in the state employee pay bill.

Pay Schedules
Fiscal Years 2019-2021

In 1995 the legislature passed 2-16-403 and 2-16-405, MCA. This legislation requires that the department of administration conduct a salary survey of elected executive branch officials, justices, and chief justices for the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. The Worker's Compensation Judge receives the same pay as District Judges (2-15-1707, MCA)

This survey is conducted prior to June 30 of each even-numbered year. The effective date of the survey is July 1 of the following year. The results of this salary survey are listed in the charts below. If you need an alternative access format of the charts below, please contact Bonnie Shoemaker at bshoemaker.mt.gov.