Build a Great Career: Industry, Wages, and Jobs in Missoula MT

Thanks to industry growth and development, jobs in Missoula MT are attracting more laborers. Read on to prepare for making the best career moves in this area!

Jobs in Missoula MT
Build a Great Career – Jobs in Missoula MT

Projections and Growth for Jobs in Missoula MT

The Montana Department of Labor and Industry put out a 10 year statewide employment projection report in 2017 that has the whole state buzzing with hope and optimism. Some highlights from this report include the following:

Annual Growth Rate for Jobs in Missoula MT

Currently, Montana’s unemployment rate is 3.8% and it was at about 4.1% when the report was released. According to the report’s projections, unemployment rates are likely to drop to 3.4% by 2027. What’s even better for the people of Missoula is that the Northwest region is set to have the fastest employment growth of the state. The Northwest (and Southwest region) are projected to have an employment growth rate of 0.9% each year.

The lower the unemployment rate, the better for homeowners, business owners, and residents. Tourism, education, and the local economy are boosted when there is a strong workforce creating momentum.

new Jobs in Missoula MT
Over a thousand new Jobs in Missoula MT are being added each year

Stats for New Jobs in Missoula MT

Through 2027, Montana is expected to add 3,860 new jobs every year. Around one-third of those opportunities (1,380 new jobs) will be added jobs in Missoula MT and surrounding areas in the Northwest region of Montana. Urban parts of the state, like Missoula, are the economy hubs providing more than 70% of the state’s jobs.

Jobs in the area are going strong. This is great news for employable locals and anyone looking for a place to relocate and start a new career!

Service and Labor Jobs in Missoula MT

According to another report from Long Streets Project released at the end of 2018 on Montana Free Press, the largest share of Montanans work jobs in the service sector. Missoula had strong employment growth over the last five years averaging about 1.7%. The region had strong gains in a few areas including construction industries. HVAC jobs in Missoula MT fall into this service and construction industry.

In short, if you work well with your hands and you’re not afraid of manual labor, you’ve got the best pick of the jobs in Missoula MT.

Start a Career - Jobs in Missoula MT
Start a Career – Jobs in Missoula MT

Occupational Demand for Jobs in Missoula MT

If you’re looking to start a new career or change jobs in Missoula MT, you probably have questions about wages and opportunities. Here are five important things to consider when you’re in the local job market.

What’s the average salary in Missoula MT?

Sources vary on this one. The average annual salary in Missoula is anywhere from $32,200 to $41,900. Check out the stats gathered on Best Places.

What’s the minimum wage around here?

According to the Living Wage Calculator, the minimum wage for jobs in Missoula MT for 1 adult is $8.30 per hour while the living wage is said to be $11.93 per hour.

Which job fields are in high demand?

Here are the top 10 occupations that are expected to be in high demand over the next ten years. The projections are largely due to new jobs, exits (retirement), and transfers, which means there will be lots of spaces to fill.

  1. Food & Service
  2. Sales
  3. Administration Support
  4. Construction
  5. Transportation and Moving Materials
  6. Personal Care & Service
  7. Building and Grounds Cleaning
  8. Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
  9. Education
  10. Healthcare
High Demand Occupations - jobs in Missoula MT
High Demand jobs in Missoula MT: Construction, Installation, Maintenance, and Repair

There are more buildings going up around Missoula. What about jobs in construction?

Construction jobs suffered a lot throughout the Great Recession 10 years ago, but are finally making a comeback now and are projected to continue to rise in the next 10 years. There will be about 356 new jobs created per year with about 1,258 people leaving the field and about 2,342 people being transferred. This makes for a total of 3,955 job openings in construction over the next 10 years.

There’s money to be made in construction! In 2017, the average annual income for a construction worker in Montana was $48,950.

What if I want to learn a reliable trade and apply for jobs in installation, maintenance, and repair?

On the list of high demand jobs in Missoula MT you’ll see Installation, Maintenance, and Repair. You’re in great shape if you have trade skills or interest in HVAC jobs, plumbing, electrical, and other forms of manual labor.

The ten-year projection of this occupational group shows a need to 2,524 new workers each year. You’ll have no trouble finding job openings if this is your career path. Besides the availability of great jobs, the salary isn’t bad, either! For these workers, the average annual income in 2017 was $46,080.

At Garden City, we’re actively hiring and training people for these positions. There is always a need for skilled laborers in these areas, and the demand far outweighs the supply which means it’s is a great opportunity for you!

Train for new jobs in missoula MT
Train for new jobs in missoula MT

Apprenticeships and Wages for Jobs in Missoula MT

Don’t have experience or a college degree? Good news: You don’t always need credentials in the field before you begin a new career. On the job training and apprenticeships are sometimes a better alternative to college or internships because you’re getting paid to learn and develop a skill.

Apprenticeships and Jobs in Missoula MT
Apprenticeships and Jobs in Missoula MT

Businesses and training institutions use findings from this Montana employment report to prepare for the increase of enrollment in workforce training courses.

Meanwhile, job seekers look to this report for help paving the way of new career paths. Of the top 10 apprenticeships with the most projected job openings, several could lead to a stable and profitable career in the HVAC industry.

The best occupations to pursue training/apprenticeships for are construction laborers, maintenance and repair workers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, all of which require a minimum of a high school diploma and have starting salaries over $35,000/ year.

Apply for jobs in Missoula MT
Apply for jobs in Missoula MT

Apply for Garden City Jobs in Missoula MT

If you are ready to start a new career, consider applying for jobs in Missoula MT like the ones we offer at Garden City Plumbing & Heating. There are various roles to fill within our company, from administrative positions to laborers and sales. We are always looking for quality, trainable people with great attitudes to join our team.

Come work with us!