Cost of hiring in Helena, MT
BLS counts about 4,070 people in these 14 roles in Helena1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($102,970 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($38,320), and Bookkeeper is the largest job, with about 650 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Helena
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +20.6% | 90 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +4.3% | 380 | |
| Recruiter | +2.7% | 280 | |
| Paralegal | +2.1% | 170 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +0.8% | 100 | |
| Project Coordinator | +0.6% | 340 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +0.3% | 480 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -5.1% | 340 | |
| Office Manager | -8.3% | 320 | |
| Accountant | -8.3% | 580 | |
| Bookkeeper | -9.5% | 650 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -14.1% | 160 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -16.4% | 130 | |
| Executive Assistant | -17.2% | 50 |
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 $45,870 median for bookkeepers, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $59,187 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Helena against the US
Helena pays above the US median for 4 of the 14 roles, most of all for data entry specialists (+20.6%) and customer support specialists (+4.3%), and below it for 7, furthest for executive assistants (-17.2%). For virtual receptionists, project coordinators and administrative assistants it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 14 is -2.4%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for data entry specialists, #10 of 394 areas by median pay; its lowest is for bookkeepers, #367 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Helena has more data entry specialists (2.2% of these jobs here, against 0.8% nationally) and bookkeepers (16.0% against 8.8%), and fewer executive assistants (1.2% against 3.0%) and virtual receptionists (2.5% against 5.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Kingston, NY is nearest, at -2.4%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | -2.3% | 17 | 21,260 |
| Kingston, NY | -2.4% | 16 | 5,570 |
| Helena, MT | -2.4% (this area) | 14 | 4,070 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | -2.5% | 15 | 13,470 |
| Albany, OR | -2.6% | 15 | 3,490 |
| Binghamton, NY | -2.6% | 17 | 9,350 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Helena span $40,470–$123,180, the widest band (3.0×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $35,050–$50,860. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 13 of 14 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($71,610 against a $60,150 median for sales development representatives).
Helena against Montana
Against Montana as a whole, Helena pays more for 11 of 14 roles, led by recruiters (+22.3%) and data entry specialists (+17.7%), and less for 2, most of all marketing specialists (-3.3%). It has the highest median in Montana for project coordinators, recruiters and paralegals and 4 more roles.
Other areas in Montana
By jobs in these roles, Helena is #6 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 |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | 4,200 | 14 |
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | 2,890 | 14 |
| Great Falls, MT | 2,750 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Helena?
Of the 14 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $102,970 a year, about $132,865 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $38,320.
Is hiring in Helena cheaper than the US median?
For 7 of the 14 roles, yes, most of all executive assistants (-17.2%). 4 pay more than the US median, led by data entry specialists (+20.6%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.