Accountant salary in Great Falls, MT
Of the 8 areas in Montana with BLS pay data for this job, Great Falls has the lowest median: $72,510 a year1. That is 4.4% below the Montana statewide median of $75,810, and 13.3% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#398 of 521). BLS counts about 280 accountants here, 6% of the Montana total: a small pool for a local search.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Great Falls, MT. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Great Falls against Montana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MT | $49,750 | $72,510 | $107,890 | |
| Montana | $49,250 | $75,810 | $125,290 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Great Falls earns $58,620–$87,160. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $107,890, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $28,540 wide, against $35,630 across Montana and $42,790 nationally: employers in Great Falls pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,750 | $4,146 | $23.92 | $64,194 |
| 25th percentile | $58,620 | $4,885 | $28.18 | $75,639 |
| Median | $72,510 | $6,042 | $34.86 | $93,561 |
| 75th percentile | $87,160 | $7,263 | $41.90 | $112,465 |
| 90th percentile | $107,890 | $8,991 | $51.87 | $139,213 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,890 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $14,650, or about $18,903 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Great Falls, and the Montana statewide median of $75,810 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Great Falls
At the $72,510 median, a local hire costs about $93,561 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,051 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Great Falls
Of the 14 roles we track in Great Falls, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($83,580); recruiters come next at $62,740.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +15.3% | 160 | |
| Accountant | this role | 280 | |
| Recruiter | -13.5% | 170 | |
| Office Manager | -14.4% | 290 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -16.6% | 80 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #10 of the 14 roles we track in Great Falls (-13.3%), between office managers (-10.7%) and recruiters (-17.4%). The typical role here is at -9.3%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Great Falls than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 10.2% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Great Falls, 11.5% across Montana and 9.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Montana
Across the 8 areas of Montana with data for this job, the median runs from $72,510 in Great Falls to $77,400 in Bozeman, a gap of $4,890 a year. All 7 areas in Montana with more accountants than Great Falls also pay more, among them Bozeman, MT ($77,400) and Billings, MT ($75,780).
| Area | Median | vs Great Falls | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helena, MT | +5.8% | 580 | |
| Billings, MT | +4.5% | 790 | |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | +2.7% | 420 | |
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | +2.5% | 320 | |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | +0.7% | 640 | |
| Missoula, MT | +0.6% | 600 | |
| Great Falls, MT | this area | 280 |
Great Falls against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Great Falls is #469 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Montana, Michigan City-La Porte and Joplin pay just above Great Falls and Slidell-Mandeville and Canton-Massillon just below. All four are within $340 a year of the median in Great Falls. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Great Falls | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joplin, MO-KS | +0.1% | 560 | pay | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | +0.1% | 310 | pay | |
| Great Falls, MT | this area | 280 | ||
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -0.0% | 770 | pay | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -0.5% | 1,100 | pay | |
| Lawton, OK | -1.4% | 280 | jobs | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -6.5% | 280 | jobs | |
| Gadsden, AL | -12.8% | 280 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Great Falls, MT?
About $93,561 a year at the median, or $7,797 a month: $72,510 in pay plus about $21,051 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Great Falls?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $72,510 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,750, the 90th $107,890, and the middle half earned $58,620 to $87,160.
Is Great Falls the cheapest area in Montana for accountants?
Yes. Its median of $72,510 is the lowest of 8 areas in Montana. Missoula is next at $72,920.
How many accountants work in Great Falls?
BLS counts about 280 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Montana total of 4,730. 7 areas in Montana have more; the closest in size is the Southwest Montana nonmetro area, with about 320.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Great Falls?
Yes: $9,770 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,510 and $62,740.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-13.