Marketing Specialist salary in Missoula, MT
Hiring a marketing specialist costs less in Missoula than in Montana or the country as a whole. The median is $65,350 a year1: 4.0% below the Montana statewide median of $68,080 and 17.0% below the US median of $78,760. Nationally it ranks #182 of 516 areas. BLS counts about 280 marketing specialists here, 19% of the Montana total: a small pool for a local search.
BLS occupation 13-1161, 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 | $36,420 | $65,350 | $98,120 | |
| Montana | $40,450 | $68,080 | $105,320 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Missoula earns $50,920–$78,770. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $98,120, only 2.7 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $27,850 wide, between the figure for Montana ($27,540) and the US figure ($49,960).
What to budget for a marketing specialist here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,420 | $3,035 | $17.51 | $46,994 |
| 25th percentile | $50,920 | $4,243 | $24.48 | $65,703 |
| Median | $65,350 | $5,446 | $31.42 | $84,323 |
| 75th percentile | $78,770 | $6,564 | $37.87 | $101,639 |
| 90th percentile | $98,120 | $8,177 | $47.17 | $126,606 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $13,420 a year in pay and about $17,316 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $14,430 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 $78,760 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Missoula, and the Montana statewide median of $68,080 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Missoula
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 $18,973 to the $65,350 median and brings it to $84,323 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 marketing specialists 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 #3 by median pay, between accountants ($72,920) and office managers ($63,090). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,250.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +28.9% | 360 | |
| Accountant | +11.6% | 600 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 280 | |
| Office Manager | -3.5% | 490 | |
| Recruiter | -4.5% | 280 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #10 of the 14 roles we track in Missoula (-17.0%), between sales development representatives (-14.3%) and project coordinators (-17.7%). The typical role here is at -11.7%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in Missoula than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 5.2% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Missoula, 3.5% across Montana and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Montana
Across the 8 areas of Montana with data for this job, the median runs from $60,440 in Great Falls to $76,330 in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, a gap of $15,890 a year. The one area in Montana with more marketing specialists, Bozeman, MT ($65,990), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Missoula | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | +16.1% | 80 | |
| Billings, MT | +3.1% | 250 | |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | +1.3% | 150 | |
| Bozeman, MT | +1.0% | 320 | |
| Helena, MT | +0.7% | 130 | |
| Missoula, MT | this area | 280 | |
| Great Falls, MT | -7.5% | 80 |
Missoula against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Missoula is #302 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Montana, Yuba City and Kingsport-Bristol pay just above Missoula and Topeka and Lexington-Fayette just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Missoula. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Missoula | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | +0.1% | 440 | pay | |
| Yuba City, CA | +0.1% | 110 | pay | |
| Missoula, MT | this area | 280 | ||
| Topeka, KS | -0.0% | 620 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -0.1% | 1,140 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IN | -4.9% | 280 | jobs | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -8.7% | 280 | jobs | |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | -35.4% | 280 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Missoula, MT?
About $84,323 a year at the median, or $7,027 a month: $65,350 in pay plus about $18,973 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Missoula?
The median was $65,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,420, the 90th $98,120, and the middle half earned $50,920 to $78,770.
Is Missoula cheaper than the rest of Montana for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $65,350 against $68,080 statewide. The next area up in Montana is Helena at $65,820, the next down Great Falls at $60,440.
How many marketing specialists work in Missoula?
BLS counts about 280 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the Montana total of 1,460. Only Bozeman has more in Montana.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than an office manager in Missoula?
Yes: $2,260 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,350 and $63,090.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1161: 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 2026-11-13.