Updated November 2026
CDL Driver Salary in Montana (November 2026)
CDL pay in Montana averages $2,561/week (median $2,000) through November 2026. Based on 1,247 active CDL postings in Lanefinder's index. 32% of postings include a sign-on bonus, averaging $2,060. 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 weekly pay fell by 4.7% ($2,686 → $2,561).
- median weekly pay fell by 2.4% ($2,050 → $2,000).
- average sign-on bonus fell by 1.2% ($2,084 → $2,060).
Montana CDL salary by hiring type
Across active CDL postings in 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) | $2,366 | $2,150 | 550 |
| Company Driver (W2) | $1,593 | $1,550 | 394 |
| Owner Operator | $7,216 | $7,500 | 303 |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
What Montana drivers actually run
The route mix in Montana this month tilts OTR: 9% regional, 89% OTR, 1% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of Montana postings; dedicated routes at 29%; take-truck-home at 87%. 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 Montana
- Best owner-operator companies in Montana
- CDL driver salary in the United States
Where this data comes from
Carriers are scored against carriers in their own market. The composite is 30% compensation (pay + bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement cadence), 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits (W2 vs owner-op scoring), and 20% operational performance (responsiveness + fleet scale). No paid placement — the weights are the same for every carrier in the index. Updated November 2026.