Bookkeeper salary in Great Falls, MT
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Great Falls than in Montana or the country as a whole. The median is $45,890 a year1: 2.9% below the Montana statewide median of $47,270 and 9.4% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #365 of 521. About 440 bookkeepers work here, 6% of the Montana total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, 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 | $30,750 | $45,890 | $60,320 | |
| Montana | $34,270 | $47,270 | $63,980 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Great Falls earns $38,940–$50,820. The top tenth earns $60,320 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $11,880 wide, against $15,280 across Montana and $17,950 nationally: employers in Great Falls pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,750 | $2,562 | $14.78 | $39,677 |
| 25th percentile | $38,940 | $3,245 | $18.72 | $50,245 |
| Median | $45,890 | $3,824 | $22.06 | $59,213 |
| 75th percentile | $50,820 | $4,235 | $24.43 | $65,574 |
| 90th percentile | $60,320 | $5,027 | $29.00 | $77,832 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $4,930 a year in pay and about $6,361 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,950 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 $50,670 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Great Falls, and the Montana statewide median of $47,270 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Great Falls
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $13,323 to the $45,890 median and brings it to $59,213 a year. 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 bookkeepers 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 #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($53,870) and medical administrative assistants ($44,880). Project Coordinator is the highest at $83,580.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +20.5% | 30 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +17.4% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 440 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -2.2% | 340 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.4% | 300 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #8 of the 14 roles we track in Great Falls (-9.4%), between paralegals (-9.2%) and office managers (-10.7%). The typical role here is at -9.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 16.0% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Great Falls, 17.0% across Montana and 9.0% nationally. The job is a bigger 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 $45,760 in the Southwest Montana nonmetro area to $49,820 in Bozeman, a gap of $4,060 a year. Of the 7 areas in Montana with more bookkeepers than Great Falls, 2 pay less: Helena, MT ($45,870) and the Southwest Montana nonmetro area ($45,760).
| Area | Median | vs Great Falls | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | +4.2% | 1,160 | |
| Missoula, MT | +3.3% | 760 | |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | +2.0% | 1,380 | |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | +1.0% | 940 | |
| Great Falls, MT | this area | 440 | |
| Helena, MT | -0.0% | 650 | |
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | -0.3% | 550 |
Great Falls against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Great Falls is #461 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Montana, Tallahassee and Corpus Christi pay just above Great Falls and College Station-Bryan and Fayetteville-Springdale just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Great Falls. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Great Falls | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | +4.5% | 440 | jobs | |
| Grand Island, NE | +1.6% | 440 | jobs | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | +0.1% | 1,570 | pay | |
| Tallahassee, FL | +0.0% | 1,130 | pay | |
| Great Falls, MT | this area | 440 | ||
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -0.0% | 950 | pay | |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | -0.1% | 2,460 | pay | |
| Beckley, WV | -7.2% | 450 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Great Falls, MT?
About $59,213 a year at the median, or $4,934 a month: $45,890 in pay plus about $13,323 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Great Falls?
The median was $45,890 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,750, the 90th $60,320, and the middle half earned $38,940 to $50,820.
Is Great Falls cheaper than the rest of Montana for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,890 against $47,270 statewide. The next area up in Montana is the East-Central Montana nonmetro area at $46,340, the next down Helena at $45,870.
How many bookkeepers work in Great Falls?
BLS counts about 440 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Montana total of 6,980. 7 areas in Montana have more; the closest in size is the Southwest Montana nonmetro area, with about 550.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Great Falls?
Yes: $1,010 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,890 and $44,880.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3031: 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.