Cost of hiring in Missoula, MT
Bookkeeper is the largest of these 14 jobs in Missoula, with about 760 people1. Medians run from $36,610 a year for virtual receptionists to $84,250 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Missoula
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | -0.2% | 700 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -3.5% | 650 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -3.7% | 170 | |
| Bookkeeper | -6.4% | 760 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -8.0% | 60 | |
| Office Manager | -9.2% | 490 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -10.6% | 480 | |
| Accountant | -12.9% | 600 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -14.3% | 260 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -17.0% | 280 | |
| Project Coordinator | -17.7% | 360 | |
| Recruiter | -17.9% | 280 | |
| Paralegal | -19.4% | 270 | |
| Executive Assistant | -22.6% | 60 |
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 $47,420 median for bookkeepers, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $61,187 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Missoula against the US
Missoula pays below the US median for 13 of the 14 roles, furthest for executive assistants (-22.6%). For customer support specialists it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 14 is -11.7%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for customer support specialists, #148 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for recruiters, #393 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Missoula has more paralegals (5.0% of these jobs here, against 2.5% nationally) and medical administrative assistants (12.0% against 6.2%), and fewer executive assistants (1.1% against 3.0%) and virtual receptionists (3.1% against 5.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Canton-Massillon, OH is nearest, at -11.8%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa, OK | -11.6% | 17 | 48,650 |
| Missoula, MT | -11.7% (this area) | 14 | 5,420 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -11.8% | 17 | 13,420 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | -11.9% | 17 | 40,630 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL | -11.9% | 17 | 20,940 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | -11.9% | 17 | 13,290 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Missoula span $36,680–$121,540, the widest band (3.3×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $36,280–$50,510. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 12 of 14 roles, paralegals most ($44,740–$101,500 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, project coordinators and paralegals: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($70,480 against a $59,970 median for sales development representatives).
Missoula against Montana
Against Montana as a whole, Missoula pays more for 2 of 14 roles, led by sales development representatives (+2.1%) and medical administrative assistants (+1.3%), and less for 9, most of all paralegals (-11.6%). Its best rank within Montana is #2 of 7 areas, for customer support specialists.
Other areas in Montana
By jobs in these roles, Missoula is #4 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 |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | 4,200 | 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 Missoula?
Of the 14 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $84,250 a year, about $108,710 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,610.
Is hiring in Missoula 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.