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

Atmospheric Salaries in Great Falls, MT

Average Base Pay

$96,445/yr

11% below national average

Monthly

$8,037

Hourly

$46

Cost Index

Atmospheric in Great Falls, MT earn an average of $96,445 per year, with most salaries falling between $77,156 and $115,734 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 11% below the national average, Great Falls offers a more modest rate for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 82. 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 Great Falls.

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.

$72K
Low

$96K
Median

$121K
High

25th percentile: $82K75th percentile: $111K

About Atmospheric

Research Scientists conduct original scientific investigation to advance knowledge or develop practical applications in fields ranging from biology and chemistry to materials science, physics, and computer science. In academic settings, they design experiments, collect and analyze data, develop and test hypotheses, and publish findings in peer-reviewed journals. In corporate or government research settings, the work is often more applied—translating scientific knowledge into new products, processes, or technologies with commercial or policy value. The research process demands rigorous experimental design, statistical analysis, and critical interpretation of results. Research scientists must command the existing literature in their field, position their work relative to prior knowledge, and communicate findings to both scientific and lay audiences. Collaboration with other scientists, technicians, and sometimes clinicians or engineers is standard, as is mentorship of graduate students or junior researchers. Securing research funding through competitive grant applications is a critical skill in academic research careers. A doctoral degree (PhD) is the standard entry-level credential for independent research positions.

What Atmospherics Do

Design and conduct original experiments to test hypotheses
Analyze experimental data using statistical methods and domain-specific tools
Review and synthesize scientific literature relevant to the research area
Write research papers, grant proposals, and technical reports
Present findings at scientific conferences and institutional seminars
Mentor and supervise graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, or technicians
Collaborate with other scientists and engineers on interdisciplinary projects
Maintain laboratory notebooks and ensure research reproducibility

Key Skills & Qualifications

Deep domain expertise in relevant scientific field
Experimental design including controls, replication, and statistical power
Statistical analysis using R, Python, or specialized domain software
Scientific writing for journal submission and grant applications
Laboratory techniques specific to discipline
Literature review and critical analysis of scientific evidence
PhD in relevant scientific discipline
Grant writing and funding acquisition

Career Path

Research Associate / Lab Technician
Postdoctoral Researcher
Research Scientist
Senior Research Scientist / Principal Investigator
Department Director / Chief Scientific Officer

Atmospheric Market in Great Falls, MT

Salary Competitiveness

Great Falls currently pays 11% below the national median for Atmospherics. 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

Great Falls's cost of living runs below the national average, which works in favor of this salary. Essential monthly expenses account for approximately 36% 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 Atmospheric earning $96,445 in Great Falls 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

-11%

Cost Pressure

36%

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

$70,405

Monthly

$5,867

Weekly

$1,354

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $96,445 for a Atmospheric in Great Falls translates to roughly $5,867 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,124—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $3,743 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 Great Falls's current market.

How far does this salary go in Great Falls?

Cost of Living in Great Falls

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Great Falls, 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$1,222/mo

🍔Food & Groceries$407/mo

🚗Transportation$110/mo

💡Utilities$143/mo

🏥Healthcare$242/mo

Monthly$2,124

Annual$25,488

Disposable Income$3,743

Financial Reality Check

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

Monthly Take-Home

$5,867

Living Costs

$2,124

Disposable

$3,743

Cost Index

Lifestyle

Comfortable

With a monthly take-home of $5,867, your estimated living costs in Great Falls are $2,124 ($25,488/yr). This leaves $3,743 per month in disposable income, indicating a comfortable standard of living. Great Falls's cost of living is 18% below the national average.

Overall, a Atmospheric earning $96,445 in Great Falls 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 82, Great Falls is 18% 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 Great Falls continue to evolve.