Industrial Machinery Mechanics in the Bozeman area earn a median of $64,860 a year, 2% above the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #175 of 388 metros nationwide.
Within driving distance, the same work pays more in Helena and Great Falls, but less in Billings.
It's one of 5 Montana metros with published pay for this trade; see industrial machinery mechanic pay in Montana.
What this means Our calculation
Pay for industrial machinery mechanics here is about average compared with other U.S. metros, and in the bottom 20% once local prices are factored in. For the wider job market, unemployment is lower than in most metros (2.5%) and the population is growing faster than most (+7.6% since 2020). On your own, you'd join about 14 one-person industrial machinery repair businesses averaging $97,643 in revenue, and you'd need to bill roughly $79/hour to match the median salary (at our default assumptions).
A summary of the numbers on this page; nothing here is estimated beyond them.
Bozeman scorecard for industrial machinery mechanics Our calculation
Grades compare Bozeman with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers. Grey line: typical U.S. metro ($63,865).
Compared with nearby metros
What the pay is really worth in Bozeman Our calculation
Prices in Bozeman run 3% above the U.S. average. Adjusted for that, a median paycheck here buys what $63,272 would in a typical place, ranking #321 of 382 on real pay.
Two different views, don't combine them. Real pay already accounts for housing, because the price index includes rent. Rent burden shows what share of pay a typical 1-bedroom takes. Use either one, not both together.
What industrial machinery mechanics do
Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- Repair or maintain the operating condition of industrial production or processing machinery or equipment.
- Repair or replace broken or malfunctioning components of machinery or equipment.
- Clean, lubricate, or adjust parts, equipment, or machinery.
- Disassemble machinery or equipment to remove parts and make repairs.
- Reassemble equipment after completion of inspections, testing, or repairs.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, industrial machinery mechanic jobs are projected to grow 17.8% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 44,400 openings a year. About 1% are self-employed.
What the work is like Government data
How often industrial machinery mechanics deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes medium preparation (vocational training or an apprenticeship, often 1–2+ years).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in Montana Official source
The main state licensing office in Montana is the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (Business Standards). It can point you to the right license for industrial machinery mechanics.
Official Montana licensing site ↗
Requirements for industrial machinery mechanics vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
Nationally, industrial machinery mechanics have 54 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 38% below the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024 (national, cases with days away from work).
Highest-paying MT metros for industrial machinery mechanics
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great FallsMONTANA · MT | $82,620 | $85,312 | 90 |
| HelenaMONTANA · MT | $81,290 | $84,965 | 60 |
| BozemanMONTANA · MT | $64,860 | $63,272 | 60 |
| BillingsMONTANA · MT | $62,370 | $66,687 | 180 |
| MissoulaMONTANA · MT | $58,040 | $60,179 | 60 |
See every metro in Montana.
How much work is there? Government data
Local job market
The Bozeman area's unemployment rate was 2.5% in 2025 (all workers, not just industrial machinery mechanics), below the typical U.S. metro's 4.1%. It was 2.5% in 2021.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual averages 2021–2025 (2025 preliminary).
Getting to work
The average commute in the Bozeman area is 18 minutes each way, shorter than the typical metro (24 min). 7% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 72% drive alone, 0% take transit and 14% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
Population
The Bozeman area's population grew 7.6% from 2020 to 2025 (119,593 → 128,740), ranking #59 of 387 metros for growth (typical metro +2.5%). People moving in (net +6,789) account for most of the change.
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year, 2020–2025.
New construction
New-home permits in Bozeman are down 9% from 2024 to 2025 (1,706 → 1,544).
In 2025 the Bozeman area approved permits for 1,544 new homes (843 single-family), or 12.4 per 1,000 residents, ranking #15 of 393 metros.
Competition
In 2024 the area had 14 one-person businesses (no employees) in industrial machinery repair, averaging $97,643 a year in revenue before expenses. See how Bozeman compares among the best cities to start an industrial machinery mechanic business.
They compete with 6 industrial machinery repair companies that have employees (about 27 workers in total). 83% of those companies have fewer than 5 employees.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the minimum you'd need to bill to match a $64,860 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for. Change any number.
Minimum billing rate
How this calculator works. Billable hours are hours you can charge a customer. Driving, quoting, paperwork and slow weeks aren't billable, which is why 1,400 is a common starting point versus 2,080 paid hours as an employee.
Get industrial machinery mechanic pricing & estimate templates →Compare Bozeman with another city →
About this data
- Pay: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2025, local to this metro.
- Pay over time: BLS OEWS May 2020–2025, local; inflation from the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).
- Real pay: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, local.
- Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027, local (county rents weighted by population).
- Job outlook, education, training: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national.
- Duties: O*NET 31.0, national.
- Safety: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024, national.
- New construction: Census Building Permits, 2021–2025, local.
- Housing: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local (age of homes, ownership, home values).
- Population: Census Bureau population estimates, 2020–2025, local.
- Commute: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local, all workers.
- Unemployment: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2021–2025 annual averages, local, all workers (2025 preliminary).
- Competition: Census Nonemployer Statistics 2024 and County Business Patterns 2023, local, reported by industry, so related trades can share one figure.
- Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions. Grades rank this metro against all others for the same trade.