Billings is Montana's largest city and the economic capital of the state's eastern half, serving as the regional hub for healthcare, energy, agriculture, and finance across a vast trade area stretching from eastern Montana into northern Wyoming. With a population of 117,116, Billings commands the largest workforce in Montana — 62,604 workers — and supports the most diversified economy of any city in the state. Unlike tourism-dependent communities in western Montana, Billings's job market is anchored by two major hospital systems, petroleum refineries, a Fortune 1000 bank headquarters, and a deep agricultural services sector that keeps employment stable year-round. For the full city profile, see our Billings guide.
Employment at a Glance
Industry Breakdown
Billings's employment spans 3 major sectors. The largest is Education & Healthcare, accounting for 26.2% of all jobs — driven by Billings Clinic, St. Vincent Healthcare, Billings Public Schools, and Montana State University Billings. Retail trade follows at approximately 12.1%, reflecting Billings's role as the shopping and services destination for a multi-state region. Tourism and hospitality account for roughly 10.9%, bolstered by Billings's position as the primary gateway to the Beartooth Highway and Yellowstone National Park's northeast entrance.
| Industry | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Education & Healthcare | 26.2% | |
| Retail | 12.1% | |
| Tourism & Hospitality | 10.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023).
Healthcare — The Dominant Employer
Healthcare is the backbone of Billings's economy. Billings Clinic — the city's largest employer with more than 6,000 employees — is an integrated, physician-led health system that operates a 304-bed hospital, a Level II trauma center, and dozens of specialty clinics. Its reach extends across Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas through a network of affiliated clinics, telehealth services, and air-ambulance operations. Billings Clinic is also a teaching institution, training medical residents and fellows across multiple specialties, which creates a continuous pipeline of clinical positions.
St. Vincent Healthcare — part of Intermountain Health — is the city's second major hospital system, providing a full range of inpatient and outpatient services including cardiac care, oncology, and orthopedics. Together, the two systems make Billings the undisputed medical hub for a region larger than most Eastern states. Healthcare employment in Billings is non-seasonal and growing, with chronic demand for nurses, physicians, technicians, and administrative staff that keeps the labor market tight across clinical roles.
Energy, Finance & Agriculture
Billings's energy sector sets it apart from every other Montana city. Two petroleum refineries — CHS Inc. and ExxonMobil Billings Refinery — process crude oil from the Bakken formation and the Powder River Basin, employing hundreds of workers in refining, maintenance, and logistics. Town Pump, a Montana-based petroleum and convenience store company, also maintains a significant presence. The energy sector provides high-wage industrial jobs that support Billings's middle class and drive demand across the local supply chain.
First Interstate BancSystem — headquartered in Billings — is the only Fortune 1000 company based in Montana, operating more than 300 banking offices across 14 states. The corporate headquarters provides professional careers in finance, technology, compliance, marketing, and executive management, giving Billings a white-collar employment dimension that most Montana cities lack. Agriculture rounds out the economic base — Billings is the commercial hub for eastern Montana's ranching and dryland farming operations, with livestock auction yards, grain elevators, farm equipment dealers, and agricultural lending institutions clustered in and around the city.
Workforce Characteristics
Billings's labor force participation rate of 66.1% is among the highest of any Montana city, reflecting a broad-based economy that offers employment across skill levels — from refinery operators and healthcare aides to financial analysts and university faculty. The unemployment rate of 3.5% indicates a tight labor market, with persistent demand in nursing, skilled trades, energy operations, and commercial transportation. Because Billings's economy is diversified across healthcare, energy, finance, agriculture, and retail, it does not suffer the dramatic seasonal employment swings that affect Montana's resort communities.
Montana State University Billings (MSUB) — a public university with approximately 3,700 students — and Rocky Mountain College — a private institution with roughly 1,000 students — provide local workforce development through programs in nursing, education, business, and applied sciences. MSUB's City College division focuses specifically on two-year technical and trades programs that feed directly into Billings's healthcare, energy, and construction sectors. Remote work has expanded in Billings, attracting workers who value the city's relatively affordable housing, lack of sales tax, and access to outdoor recreation along the Yellowstone River and in the nearby Beartooth Mountains.
For a detailed look at how wages align with expenses, see our Billings cost of living guide.
Key Takeaways for Job Seekers
- Healthcare dominates — Billings Clinic (6,000+ employees) and St. Vincent Healthcare are the city's two largest employers, with constant demand for nurses, physicians, technicians, and support staff across a regional service area.
- The energy sector provides high-wage industrial employment — CHS Inc. and ExxonMobil operate petroleum refineries that employ hundreds, with additional opportunities in pipeline operations, maintenance, and logistics.
- First Interstate BancSystem — headquartered in Billings — offers corporate careers in banking, finance, technology, and management that are rare in Montana outside of this city.
- Billings Public Schools, Yellowstone County government, and Montana State University Billings provide stable public-sector employment across education, administration, and public safety.
- Agriculture and ranching services generate year-round employment in livestock marketing, equipment sales, feed and seed operations, and agricultural finance throughout eastern Montana.
- Town Pump's petroleum distribution and convenience store operations add logistics, retail management, and transportation jobs to the local economy.
- Billings's economy is the most diversified in Montana — healthcare, energy, finance, agriculture, retail, and education provide multiple employment pathways, insulating the city from single-industry downturns.