Cost of hiring in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area
Bookkeeper is the largest of these 14 jobs in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, with about 940 people1. Medians run from $37,440 a year for virtual receptionists to $79,920 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | -0.4% | 290 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -1.5% | 170 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -3.1% | 60 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -5.4% | 90 | |
| Bookkeeper | -8.5% | 940 | |
| Accountant | -11.0% | 420 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.1% | 70 | |
| Office Manager | -11.8% | 510 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -12.5% | 390 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -15.7% | 740 | |
| Recruiter | -18.6% | 210 | |
| Project Coordinator | -21.9% | 130 | |
| Paralegal | -22.9% | 100 | |
| Executive Assistant | -27.8% | 80 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $46,340 median for bookkeepers, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $59,794 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the East-Central Montana nonmetro area against the US
The East-Central Montana nonmetro area pays below the US median for 13 of the 14 roles, furthest for executive assistants (-27.8%). For customer support specialists it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 14 is -11.4%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for marketing specialists, #58 of 516 areas by median pay; its lowest is for executive assistants, #443 of 509.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the East-Central Montana nonmetro area has more bookkeepers (22.4% of these jobs here, against 8.8% nationally) and payroll specialists (2.1% against 1.0%), and fewer sales development representatives (1.7% against 8.1%) and marketing specialists (1.4% against 5.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Manhattan, KS is nearest, at -11.5%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandusky, OH | -11.1% | 15 | 3,400 |
| Dubuque, IA | -11.4% | 15 | 5,880 |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | -11.4% (this area) | 14 | 4,200 |
| Manhattan, KS | -11.5% | 15 | 5,610 |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | -11.5% | 15 | 6,770 |
| Tulsa, OK | -11.6% | 17 | 48,650 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area span $36,920–$97,820, the widest band (2.6×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $33,700–$49,990. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 13 of 14 roles, sales development representatives most ($37,980–$148,840 across the US). Budget from the median for paralegals, project coordinators, accountants and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($54,560 against a $48,470 median for paralegals).
the East-Central Montana nonmetro area against Montana
Against Montana as a whole, the East-Central Montana nonmetro area pays more for 2 of 14 roles, led by marketing specialists (+12.1%) and sales development representatives (+6.0%), and less for 10, most of all paralegals (-15.4%). It has the highest median in Montana for marketing specialists and sales development representatives, and the lowest for recruiters, paralegals and medical administrative assistants and 1 more role.
Other areas in Montana
By jobs in these roles, the East-Central Montana nonmetro area is #5 of 8 areas in Montana. The table shows the other 7.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 7,460 | 15 |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | 6,920 | 14 |
| Bozeman, MT | 5,430 | 13 |
| Missoula, MT | 5,420 | 14 |
| Helena, MT | 4,070 | 14 |
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | 2,890 | 14 |
| Great Falls, MT | 2,750 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area?
Of the 14 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $79,920 a year, about $103,123 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $37,440.
Is hiring in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
Mostly: no role pays more than the US median, and 13 of 14 pay less.
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.