Federal Employment in Montana
Montana employs 11,350 federal civilian workers - 0.5% of the federal workforce, at an average salary of $91,837, drawn directly from OPM FedScope (March 2025). Explore the top agencies, pay, and length of service below.
What the Numbers Say About Federal Employment in Montana
Montana is home to 11,350 federal civilian employees, which is 0.5% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 recorded in OPM FedScope for March 2025. Versus the prior reporting period, the state's federal headcount moved down by -9.5%, reflecting the combined effect of new hires via USAJOBS, retirements, inter-state transfers, and attrition across the 19 federal agencies currently operating on state soil.
Pay in Montana averages $91,837 across all federal grades and occupations, placing the state 16.4% below the national federal civilian average of $109,869. The gap reflects locality-pay tables, the mix of headquarters versus field-office roles, and the occupational profile of agencies that concentrate here. Average length of service is 11.7 years, a signal of workforce stability and the degree to which federal careers anchor local economies.
The largest federal employer in Montana is DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE with 2,938 employees at an average salary of $78,915. The highest-paying agency in the state is FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION at $128,419 average salary. For job seekers browsing USAJOBS postings filtered to Montana, these agency-level concentrations matter because they determine which career ladders, locality-pay tables, and mission areas dominate local federal employment. All figures come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, updated semi-annually (March and September).
Federal Employees
11,350
-9.5% from prior period
Average Salary
$91,837
Below federal average
+7.7%
Avg Length of Service
11.7 yrs
Average tenure
Agencies Present
19
Salary Context
How federal pay in Montana compares to the national average of $109,869
State Average
$91,837
National Average
$109,869
vs. National Avg
-16.4%
Federal Agencies in Montana
19 federal agencies operate in Montana. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE is the largest with 2,938 employees.
The 10 largest federal agencies in Montana by civilian headcount.
Where Montana ranks nationally
Montana's 11,350 federal civilian employees are more than 20% of states (10 of 51). The highlighted bar marks where Montana sits in the national distribution of federal employment.
Federal employment distribution across all 51 states; Montana ranks higher than 20%.
Similar States by Federal Employment
States with a similar federal workforce size to Montana
Federal Employment Guides
Learn more about working for the federal government
Frequently Asked Questions
How many federal employees work in Montana? ▾
What is the average federal salary in Montana? ▾
Which federal agency has the most employees in Montana? ▾
What is the highest-paying federal agency in Montana? ▾
How many federal agencies operate in Montana? ▾
How does federal employment in Montana compare to other states? ▾
Data Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) FedScope Employment Cubes, March 2025. Federal civilian non-seasonal full-time and part-time employees. Data does not include military personnel, postal workers, or intelligence agency staff. Last updated: 2026-03-10.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data currency: Federal workforce figures from OPM FedScope as of the March 2025 snapshot, with current openings from USAJOBS; compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
PlainGovJobs is rendered directly from OPM FedScope federal-workforce data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on OPM FedScope state-level employment records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.