Office Manager salary in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area
The East-Central Montana nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for office managers: the median of $61,300 a year1 is 2.0% below the Montana statewide median of $62,550, and 11.8% below the US median of $69,500. Among US areas it comes in at #312 of 519. BLS counts about 510 people in this job here, 13% of the Montana total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area against Montana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | $42,320 | $61,300 | $89,730 | |
| Montana | $45,240 | $62,550 | $91,580 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area earns $51,480–$72,510. The top tenth earns $89,730 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $21,030 wide, against $23,600 across Montana and $29,140 nationally: employers in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,320 | $3,527 | $20.35 | $54,606 |
| 25th percentile | $51,480 | $4,290 | $24.75 | $66,426 |
| Median | $61,300 | $5,108 | $29.47 | $79,097 |
| 75th percentile | $72,510 | $6,042 | $34.86 | $93,561 |
| 90th percentile | $89,730 | $7,478 | $43.14 | $115,781 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $11,210 a year in pay and about $14,465 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $9,820 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 $69,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, and the Montana statewide median of $62,550 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area
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 $17,797 to the $61,300 median and brings it to $79,097 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 office managers 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 the East-Central Montana nonmetro area
Of the 14 roles we track in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between recruiters ($61,820) and executive assistants ($55,300). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,920.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +1.5% | 70 | |
| Recruiter | +0.8% | 210 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 510 | |
| Executive Assistant | -9.8% | 80 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -10.1% | 90 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #8 of the 14 roles we track in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area (-11.8%), between sales development representatives (-11.1%) and medical administrative assistants (-12.5%). The typical role here is at -11.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 12.1% of the jobs in these 14 roles in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, 9.7% across Montana and 9.2% 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 $59,720 in the West Montana nonmetro area to $68,620 in Bozeman, a gap of $8,900 a year. Of the 3 areas in Montana with more office managers than the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the West Montana nonmetro area ($59,720).
| Area | Median | vs the East-Central Montana nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helena, MT | +3.9% | 320 | |
| Billings, MT | +3.3% | 680 | |
| Missoula, MT | +2.9% | 490 | |
| Great Falls, MT | +1.3% | 290 | |
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | +0.8% | 290 | |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | this area | 510 | |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | -2.6% | 780 |
the East-Central Montana nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the East-Central Montana nonmetro area is #401 of 517 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Montana, Canton-Massillon and Topeka pay just above the East-Central Montana nonmetro area and Jackson and Beaumont-Port Arthur just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the East-Central Montana nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | +0.0% | 1,250 | pay | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | +0.0% | 1,190 | pay | |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | this area | 510 | ||
| Jackson, TN | -0.0% | 1,040 | pay | |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | -0.1% | 1,570 | pay | |
| Decatur, AL | -0.9% | 510 | jobs | |
| Altoona, PA | -1.9% | 510 | jobs | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -10.1% | 510 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in East-Central Montana (Nonmetro)?
About $79,097 a year at the median, or $6,591 a month: $61,300 in pay plus about $17,797 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do office managers earn in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area?
The median was $61,300 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $42,320, the 90th $89,730, and the middle half earned $51,480 to $72,510.
Is the East-Central Montana nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Montana for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $61,300 against $62,550 statewide. The next area up in Montana is the Southwest Montana nonmetro area at $61,780, the next down the West Montana nonmetro area at $59,720.
How many office managers work in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 510 in the May 2025 survey. That is 13% of the Montana total of 4,030. 3 areas in Montana have more; the closest in size is Bozeman, with about 530.
Does an office manager cost more than an executive assistant in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area?
Yes: $6,000 a year more at the median. The medians are $61,300 and $55,300.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: 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.