Recruiter salary in Helena, MT
Helena is the most expensive place in Montana to hire a recruiter. The median is $78,020 a year1, 22.3% above the Montana statewide median of $63,790 and 2.7% above the US median of $75,940. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#58 of 521). BLS counts about 280 recruiters here, 12% of the Montana total: a small pool for a local search.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Helena, MT. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Helena against Montana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena, MT | $48,980 | $78,020 | $111,550 | |
| Montana | $44,990 | $63,790 | $108,180 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Helena earns $61,210–$84,610. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $111,550, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($76,920) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $23,400 wide, against $27,890 across Montana and $40,770 nationally: employers in Helena pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,980 | $4,082 | $23.55 | $63,200 |
| 25th percentile | $61,210 | $5,101 | $29.43 | $78,981 |
| Median | $78,020 | $6,502 | $37.51 | $100,671 |
| 75th percentile | $84,610 | $7,051 | $40.68 | $109,174 |
| 90th percentile | $111,550 | $9,296 | $53.63 | $143,935 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $6,590 over it, while the 25th sits $16,810 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $8,503 more a year with benefits. 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 $75,940 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Helena, and the Montana statewide median of $63,790 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Helena
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 $22,651 to the $78,020 median and brings it to $100,671 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 recruiters 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 Helena
Of the 14 roles we track in Helena, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($102,970); accountants come next at $76,700.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +32.0% | 340 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 280 | |
| Accountant | -1.7% | 580 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -15.6% | 130 | |
| Paralegal | -17.7% | 170 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #3 of the 14 roles we track in Helena (+2.7%), between customer support specialists (+4.3%) and paralegals (+2.1%). The typical role here is at -2.4%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost more in Helena than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.9% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Helena, 5.7% across Montana and 5.9% 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 $61,820 in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area to $78,020 in Helena, a gap of $16,200 a year. All 3 areas in Montana with more recruiters than Helena pay less, among them Billings, MT ($65,470) and the West Montana nonmetro area ($62,250).
| Area | Median | vs Helena | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helena, MT | this area | 280 | |
| Billings, MT | -16.1% | 440 | |
| Bozeman, MT | -17.9% | 320 | |
| Great Falls, MT | -19.6% | 170 | |
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | -19.8% | 140 | |
| Missoula, MT | -20.0% | 280 | |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | -20.2% | 350 |
Helena against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Helena is #374 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Montana, Portland-South Portland and Bellingham pay just above Helena and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles and Warner Robins just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Helena. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Helena | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | +0.2% | 430 | pay | |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +0.1% | 1,310 | pay | |
| Helena, MT | this area | 280 | ||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +0.0% | 610 | pay | |
| Warner Robins, GA | -0.1% | 470 | pay | |
| Burlington, NC | -10.9% | 280 | jobs | |
| Grand Junction, CO | -14.6% | 280 | jobs | |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | -18.7% | 280 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Helena, MT?
About $100,671 a year at the median, or $8,389 a month: $78,020 in pay plus about $22,651 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Helena?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $78,020 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,980, the 90th $111,550, and the middle half earned $61,210 to $84,610.
Is Helena the most expensive area in Montana for recruiters?
Yes. Its median of $78,020 is the highest of 8 areas in Montana. Billings comes next at $65,470.
How many recruiters work in Helena?
BLS counts about 280 in the May 2025 survey. That is 12% of the Montana total of 2,340. 3 areas in Montana have more; the closest in size is Bozeman, with about 320.
Does a recruiter cost more than an accountant in Helena?
Yes: $1,320 a year more at the median. The medians are $78,020 and $76,700.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1071: 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.