Bookkeeper salary in Missoula, MT
Missoula pays bookkeepers close to the Montana norm. The median is $47,420 a year1, about level with the Montana statewide median of $47,270 and 6.4% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #267 of 521 areas. About 760 bookkeepers work here, 11% of the Montana total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, 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 | $34,440 | $47,420 | $63,080 | |
| Montana | $34,270 | $47,270 | $63,980 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Missoula earns $39,980–$56,150. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $63,080, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $16,170 wide, between the figure for Montana ($15,280) and the US figure ($17,950).
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,440 | $2,870 | $16.56 | $44,439 |
| 25th percentile | $39,980 | $3,332 | $19.22 | $51,587 |
| Median | $47,420 | $3,952 | $22.80 | $61,187 |
| 75th percentile | $56,150 | $4,679 | $27.00 | $72,452 |
| 90th percentile | $63,080 | $5,257 | $30.33 | $81,394 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,730 a year in pay and about $11,265 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,440 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 Missoula, and the Montana statewide median of $47,270 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Missoula
At the $47,420 median, a local hire costs about $61,187 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,767 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 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 Missoula
Of the 14 roles we track in Missoula, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($50,670) and customer support specialists ($44,690). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,250.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +13.0% | 60 | |
| Paralegal | +6.9% | 270 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 760 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -5.8% | 700 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -6.6% | 650 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 14 roles we track in Missoula (-6.4%), between virtual receptionists (-3.7%) and payroll specialists (-8.0%). The typical role here is at -11.7%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Missoula than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 14.0% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Missoula, 16.9% across Montana and 8.8% 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 4 areas in Montana with more bookkeepers than Missoula, 2 pay less: the West Montana nonmetro area ($46,830) and the East-Central Montana nonmetro area ($46,340).
| Area | Median | vs Missoula | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | +5.1% | 940 | |
| Billings, MT | +0.9% | 1,160 | |
| Missoula, MT | this area | 760 | |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | -1.2% | 1,380 | |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 940 | |
| Great Falls, MT | -3.2% | 440 | |
| Helena, MT | -3.3% | 650 |
Missoula against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Missoula is #334 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Montana, Burlington and Hinesville pay just above Missoula and Sioux City and Athens-Clarke County just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Missoula. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Missoula | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinesville, GA | +0.1% | 130 | pay | |
| Burlington, NC | +0.1% | 600 | pay | |
| Missoula, MT | this area | 760 | ||
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -0.1% | 690 | pay | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | -0.1% | 820 | pay | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -2.0% | 760 | jobs | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | -2.5% | 760 | jobs | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | -7.7% | 770 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Missoula, MT?
About $61,187 a year at the median, or $5,099 a month: $47,420 in pay plus about $13,767 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Missoula?
The median was $47,420 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,440, the 90th $63,080, and the middle half earned $39,980 to $56,150.
Is Missoula cheaper than the rest of Montana for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $47,420 against $47,270 statewide. The next area up in Montana is Billings at $47,830, the next down the West Montana nonmetro area at $46,830.
How many bookkeepers work in Missoula?
BLS counts about 760 in the May 2025 survey. That is 11% of the Montana total of 6,980. 4 areas in Montana have more; the closest in size is the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, with about 940.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a customer support specialist in Missoula?
Yes: $2,730 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,420 and $44,690.
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.