Updated November 2026
CDL Driver Salary in Bozeman, Montana (November 2026)
Active CDL job postings in Bozeman, Montana pay $3,031/week on average (median $2,250) through November 2026. Based on 1,028 active CDL postings in Lanefinder's index. 32% of postings include a sign-on bonus, averaging $2,155. Montana freight is defined by long haul on the Northern Tier I-90 / I-94 corridors, with agricultural shipments of wheat and cattle, coal export volumes from the Powder River Basin, and oil-field service routes in the Bakken region.
What changed in November 2026
- average sign-on bonus fell by 1.3% ($2,184 → $2,155).
Where Bozeman, Montana differs from the Montana baseline
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Bozeman, Montana sits 18% above the Montana baseline.
How CDL pay breaks down in Bozeman, Montana
Across active CDL postings in Bozeman, Montana this month, pay varies meaningfully by hiring type. The breakdown below shows the average and median weekly pay for each.
| Hiring type | Avg/wk | Median/wk | Active postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Contractor (1099) | $2,407 | $2,212 | 485 |
| Owner Operator | $7,277 | $7,500 | 272 |
| Company Driver (W2) | $1,635 | $1,600 | 271 |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Lane mix and benefits across Bozeman, Montana
Of active CDL postings in Bozeman, Montana this month, 8% are regional and 91% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 1%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Bozeman, Montana postings; dedicated routes at 29%; take-truck-home at 88%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 70% and riders-allowed at 68%.
Driving CDL in Montana
Montana freight runs the Northern Tier I-90 / I-94 corridors — long, lightly-trafficked, often beautiful, and operationally serious. Wheat and cattle freight dominate outbound. Oil-field service in the eastern Bakken corner of the state adds energy-sector loads. Winter is severe and long. Cost of living is moderate, with the Bozeman and Missoula corridors notably more expensive than the rest of the state. Montana has a moderate graduated state income tax. Distances are real: "long-haul" here means a different scale than the Northeast.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Bozeman, Montana
- Best owner-operator companies in Bozeman, Montana
- CDL driver salary in Montana
The methodology behind the rankings
Compensation (30%): pay percentile + sign-on bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement frequency. FMCSA safety (25%): weighted percentile across vehicle maintenance, unsafe driving, hours-of-service, driver fitness, and controlled substances. Benefits (25%): hiring-type-aware. Operational (20%): driver-application responsiveness, modulated by fleet scale. Updated November 2026.