Salary data is based on the Missoula, MT metropolitan area and applied to Missoula using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Agricultural Engineers Salaries in Missoula, MT

Average Base Pay

$74,474/yr

7% below national average

Monthly

$6,206

Hourly

$36

Cost Index

Agricultural Engineers in Missoula, MT earn an average of $74,474 per year, with most salaries falling between $59,579 and $89,369 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 7% below the national average, Missoula offers a more modest rate for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 80. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Missoula.

Salary Range

The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.

$56K
Low

$74K
Median

$93K
High

25th percentile: $63K75th percentile: $86K

About Agricultural Engineers

Environmental Engineers develop solutions to environmental problems including air and water pollution, contaminated site remediation, waste management, and sustainability. They apply engineering principles alongside biology, chemistry, and ecology to design systems that protect human health and the natural environment. In water and wastewater engineering, they design treatment plants, distribution systems, and stormwater management infrastructure. In air quality, they design emission control systems for industrial facilities and model pollutant dispersion. In contaminated site remediation, they assess the extent of soil and groundwater contamination, design cleanup systems, and oversee remediation contractors. Environmental engineers must navigate complex regulatory frameworks—Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, CERCLA—and often interact with federal and state environmental agencies. They prepare environmental impact assessments for development projects, conduct environmental compliance audits for industrial operations, and develop environmental management systems. Increasing focus on climate change has expanded the role into greenhouse gas accounting, carbon management, and resilience planning.

What Agricultural Engineers Do

Design water and wastewater treatment systems
Develop remediation plans for contaminated soil and groundwater
Prepare air emissions inventories and design control systems
Conduct environmental compliance audits for industrial facilities
Prepare environmental impact assessments and permit applications
Interact with regulatory agencies on permitting and enforcement matters
Perform environmental site assessments (Phase I and II ESAs)
Develop stormwater management plans and pollution prevention programs

Key Skills & Qualifications

Knowledge of environmental regulations (Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA)
Environmental modeling for air, water, and groundwater systems
Site assessment and remediation design
Environmental permitting and regulatory agency interaction
GIS for environmental data mapping
Water and wastewater treatment process design
Technical report writing for regulatory submissions
PE licensure and CHMM or other environmental certifications

Career Path

Environmental Scientist / Environmental Engineer EIT
Environmental Engineer
Senior Environmental Engineer
Principal Environmental Engineer
Director of Environmental Services

Agricultural Engineers Market in Missoula, MT

Salary Competitiveness

Missoula currently pays 7% below the national median for Agricultural Engineers. This gap can reflect a lower regional cost base, thinner employer density, or a surplus of qualified candidates relative to open roles—factors worth factoring into any offer negotiation or relocation calculation.

Cost of Living Impact

Missoula's cost of living runs below the national average, which works in favor of this salary. Essential monthly expenses account for approximately 46% of take-home pay—a ratio that leaves meaningful room for savings, debt reduction, and discretionary spending compared with higher-cost metros.

Effective Purchasing Power

After adjusting for local taxes and cost of living, a Agricultural Engineers earning $74,474 in Missoula reaches a strong purchasing-power position. The effective standard of living this income supports is materially higher than the gross number alone implies—a useful data point for professionals comparing offers across metro areas.

vs. National Avg

-7%

Cost Pressure

46%

Purchasing Power

Strong

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.

Annual Salary

Take-home (73%)Taxes (27%)

Annual Net

$54,366

Monthly

$4,531

Weekly

$1,046

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $74,474 for a Agricultural Engineers in Missoula translates to roughly $4,531 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,072—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $2,459 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Missoula's current market.

How far does this salary go in Missoula?

Cost of Living in Missoula

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Missoula, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.

Cost Index

Below Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).

🏠Housing / Rent$1,192/mo

🍔Food & Groceries$397/mo

🚗Transportation$107/mo

💡Utilities$140/mo

🏥Healthcare$236/mo

Monthly$2,072

Annual$24,864

Disposable Income$2,459

Financial Reality Check

This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Missoula to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.

Monthly Take-Home

$4,531

Living Costs

$2,072

Disposable

$2,459

Cost Index

Lifestyle

Comfortable

With a monthly take-home of $4,531, your estimated living costs in Missoula are $2,072 ($24,864/yr). This leaves $2,459 per month in disposable income, indicating a comfortable standard of living. Missoula's cost of living is 20% below the national average.

Overall, a Agricultural Engineers earning $74,474 in Missoula falls into a comfortable lifestyle tier and has meaningful room to save, invest, and absorb unexpected expenses without financial stress. With a cost index of 80, Missoula is 20% more affordable than the national average, which extends your purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Missoula continue to evolve.