Administrative Assistant salary in Missoula, MT
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Missoula than in Montana or the country as a whole. The median is $42,500 a year1: 3.3% below the Montana statewide median of $43,940 and 10.6% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #342 of 520 areas. About 480 administrative assistants work here, 11% of the Montana total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Missoula, MT. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Missoula against Montana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT | $30,010 | $42,500 | $53,730 | |
| Montana | $30,430 | $43,940 | $55,970 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Missoula earns $37,010–$48,310. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $53,730, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $11,300 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 | $30,010 | $2,501 | $14.43 | $38,723 |
| 25th percentile | $37,010 | $3,084 | $17.79 | $47,755 |
| Median | $42,500 | $3,542 | $20.43 | $54,839 |
| 75th percentile | $48,310 | $4,026 | $23.23 | $62,335 |
| 90th percentile | $53,730 | $4,478 | $25.83 | $69,329 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,810 a year in pay and about $7,497 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,490 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 Missoula, and the Montana statewide median of $43,940 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Missoula
At the $42,500 median, a local hire costs about $54,839 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,339 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 Missoula
Of the 14 roles we track in Missoula, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($44,310) and virtual receptionists ($36,610). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,250.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +11.6% | 760 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +5.2% | 700 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +4.3% | 650 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 480 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -13.9% | 170 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #7 of the 14 roles we track in Missoula (-10.6%), between office managers (-9.2%) and accountants (-12.9%). The typical role here is at -11.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 8.9% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Missoula, 10.9% across Montana and 11.0% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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 4 areas in Montana with more administrative assistants than Missoula, 2 pay less: the West Montana nonmetro area ($40,340) and the East-Central Montana nonmetro area ($40,060).
| Area | Median | vs Missoula | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | +11.6% | 520 | |
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | +8.4% | 420 | |
| Billings, MT | +2.8% | 730 | |
| Great Falls, MT | +2.1% | 300 | |
| Missoula, MT | this area | 480 | |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | -5.1% | 770 | |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | -5.7% | 740 |
Missoula against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Missoula is #469 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Montana, Sioux Falls and Deltona-Daytona Beach pay just above Missoula and Fayetteville and Yuma just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Missoula. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Missoula | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheboygan, WI | +11.9% | 480 | jobs | |
| Gettysburg, PA | +2.1% | 490 | jobs | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL | +0.2% | 2,350 | pay | |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | +0.1% | 2,060 | pay | |
| Missoula, MT | this area | 480 | ||
| Fayetteville, NC | -0.2% | 1,100 | pay | |
| Yuma, AZ | -0.3% | 690 | pay | |
| Beckley, WV | -7.4% | 490 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Missoula, MT?
About $54,839 a year at the median, or $4,570 a month: $42,500 in pay plus about $12,339 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Missoula?
The median was $42,500 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,010, the 90th $53,730, and the middle half earned $37,010 to $48,310.
Is Missoula cheaper than the rest of Montana for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $42,500 against $43,940 statewide. The next area up in Montana is Great Falls at $43,400, the next down the West Montana nonmetro area at $40,340.
How many administrative assistants work in Missoula?
BLS counts about 480 in the May 2025 survey. That is 11% of the Montana total of 4,520. 5 areas in Montana have more; the closest in size is Helena, with about 480.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a virtual receptionist in Missoula?
Yes: $5,890 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,500 and $36,610.
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.