Administrative Assistant salary in Great Falls, MT
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Great Falls than in Montana or the country as a whole. The median is $43,400 a year1: 1.2% below the Montana statewide median of $43,940 and 8.7% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #315 of 520 areas. About 300 administrative assistants work here, 7% of the Montana total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, 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 | $30,380 | $43,400 | $55,060 | |
| Montana | $30,430 | $43,940 | $55,970 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $55,060, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in Great Falls earns $36,290–$48,340. The mean ($42,910) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $12,050 wide, between the figure for Montana ($11,240) and the US figure ($19,170).
What to budget for an administrative assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,380 | $2,532 | $14.61 | $39,200 |
| 25th percentile | $36,290 | $3,024 | $17.45 | $46,826 |
| Median | $43,400 | $3,617 | $20.87 | $56,000 |
| 75th percentile | $48,340 | $4,028 | $23.24 | $62,374 |
| 90th percentile | $55,060 | $4,588 | $26.47 | $71,045 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $4,940 a year in pay and about $6,374 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,110 in pay. 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 $47,540 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Great Falls, and the Montana statewide median of $43,940 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Great Falls
At the $43,400 median, a local hire costs about $56,000 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,600 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 administrative assistants 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 #11 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($44,880) and customer support specialists ($42,270). Project Coordinator is the highest at $83,580.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +5.7% | 440 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +3.4% | 340 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 300 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -2.6% | 360 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -9.8% | 30 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #6 of the 14 roles we track in Great Falls (-8.7%), between customer support specialists (-5.6%) and paralegals (-9.2%). The typical role here is at -9.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 10.9% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Great Falls, 11.0% across Montana and 11.2% 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 $40,060 in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area to $47,670 in Helena, a gap of $7,610 a year. Of the 7 areas in Montana with more administrative assistants than Great Falls, 3 pay less: the West Montana nonmetro area ($40,340), the East-Central Montana nonmetro area ($40,060) and Missoula, MT ($42,500).
| Area | Median | vs Great Falls | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | +9.3% | 520 | |
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | +6.1% | 420 | |
| Billings, MT | +0.6% | 730 | |
| Great Falls, MT | this area | 300 | |
| Missoula, MT | -2.1% | 480 | |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | -7.1% | 770 | |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | -7.7% | 740 |
Great Falls against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Great Falls is #508 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Montana, Gettysburg and Williamsport pay just above Great Falls and Beaumont-Port Arthur and Waco just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Great Falls. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Great Falls | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | +24.8% | 300 | jobs | |
| Walla Walla, WA | +19.0% | 290 | jobs | |
| Williamsport, PA | +0.1% | 570 | pay | |
| Gettysburg, PA | +0.0% | 490 | pay | |
| Great Falls, MT | this area | 300 | ||
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | -0.2% | 1,980 | pay | |
| Waco, TX | -0.2% | 1,470 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IN | -2.8% | 310 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Great Falls, MT?
About $56,000 a year at the median, or $4,667 a month: $43,400 in pay plus about $12,600 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Great Falls?
The median was $43,400 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,380, the 90th $55,060, and the middle half earned $36,290 to $48,340.
Is Great Falls cheaper than the rest of Montana for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $43,400 against $43,940 statewide. The next area up in Montana is Billings at $43,680, the next down Missoula at $42,500.
How many administrative assistants work in Great Falls?
BLS counts about 300 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the Montana total of 4,520. 7 areas in Montana have more; the closest in size is the Southwest Montana nonmetro area, with about 420.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in Great Falls?
Yes: $1,130 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,400 and $42,270.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: 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 2026-11-12.