Recruiter salary in Missoula, MT
Hiring a recruiter costs less in Missoula than in Montana or the country as a whole. The median is $62,380 a year1: 2.2% below the Montana statewide median of $63,790 and 17.9% below the US median of $75,940. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#393 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 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 | $44,440 | $62,380 | $91,130 | |
| Montana | $44,990 | $63,790 | $108,180 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Missoula earns $49,290–$77,310. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $91,130, only 2.1 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $28,020 wide, between the figure for Montana ($27,890) and the US figure ($40,770).
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,440 | $3,703 | $21.37 | $57,342 |
| 25th percentile | $49,290 | $4,108 | $23.70 | $63,600 |
| Median | $62,380 | $5,198 | $29.99 | $80,490 |
| 75th percentile | $77,310 | $6,442 | $37.17 | $99,755 |
| 90th percentile | $91,130 | $7,594 | $43.81 | $117,587 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $14,930 a year in pay and about $19,265 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $13,090 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 $75,940 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Missoula, and the Montana statewide median of $63,790 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 $18,110 to the $62,380 median and brings it to $80,490 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 Missoula
Of the 14 roles we track in Missoula, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between office managers ($63,090) and sales development representatives ($59,970). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,250.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +4.8% | 280 | |
| Office Manager | +1.1% | 490 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 280 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -3.9% | 260 | |
| Executive Assistant | -5.0% | 60 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #12 of the 14 roles we track in Missoula (-17.9%), between project coordinators (-17.7%) and paralegals (-19.4%). The typical role here is at -11.7%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Missoula than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 5.2% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Missoula, 5.6% across Montana and 5.9% 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 $61,820 in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area to $78,020 in Helena, a gap of $16,200 a year. Of the 3 areas in Montana with more recruiters than Missoula, 1 pays less: the West Montana nonmetro area ($62,250).
| Area | Median | vs Missoula | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | +5.0% | 440 | |
| Bozeman, MT | +2.7% | 320 | |
| Great Falls, MT | +0.6% | 170 | |
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 140 | |
| Missoula, MT | this area | 280 | |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | -0.2% | 350 | |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | -0.9% | 210 |
Missoula against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Missoula is #378 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Montana, Springfield and Pinehurst-Southern Pines pay just above Missoula and Columbus and Harrisonburg just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Missoula. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Missoula | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, NC | +11.4% | 280 | jobs | |
| Grand Junction, CO | +6.9% | 280 | jobs | |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | +1.7% | 280 | jobs | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | +0.0% | 220 | pay | |
| Springfield, OH | +0.0% | 200 | pay | |
| Missoula, MT | this area | 280 | ||
| Columbus, IN | -0.1% | 340 | pay | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | -0.1% | 240 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Missoula, MT?
About $80,490 a year at the median, or $6,708 a month: $62,380 in pay plus about $18,110 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Missoula?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $62,380 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $44,440, the 90th $91,130, and the middle half earned $49,290 to $77,310.
Is Missoula cheaper than the rest of Montana for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $62,380 against $63,790 statewide. The next area up in Montana is the Southwest Montana nonmetro area at $62,600, the next down the West Montana nonmetro area at $62,250.
How many recruiters work in Missoula?
BLS counts about 280 in the May 2025 survey. That is 12% of the Montana total of 2,340. 4 areas in Montana have more; the closest in size is Helena, with about 280.
Does a recruiter cost more than a sales development representative in Missoula?
Yes: $2,410 a year more at the median. The medians are $62,380 and $59,970.
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.