StateRates

Missoula salaries

The median worker in the Missoula, MT metro area earned $46,660 a year in 2024, about $22.44 an hour. That ranks #195 of the 391 metro areas published here, 5.7% below the national median.

Montana

Median pay $46,660 $22.44 per hour
Vs national -5.7% U.S. $49,500
Workers 66,580 wage and salary
Metro rank #195 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Missoula pays 1.5% less than Montana as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1.85× 680 $33,270
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 1.8× 650 $39,870
Bartenders 1.75× 560 $22,210
Cooks, Restaurant 1.67× 1,050 $37,080
Lawyers 1.58× 510 $99,490
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 1.48× 930 $45,140
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1.44× 2,360 $30,200
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 1.41× 680 $48,330
Office Clerks, General 1.35× 1,460 $44,110
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1.32× 1,250 $37,510
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 1.27× 650 $42,480
Light Truck Drivers 1.23× 530 $46,220

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Missoula
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Pharmacists $132,140 $63.53 230
Medical and Health Services Managers $100,870 $48.49 210
Lawyers $99,490 $47.83 510
Construction Managers $98,960 $47.58 200
Software Developers $96,210 $46.26 300
Project Management Specialists $81,470 $39.17 370
Civil Engineers $80,150 $38.53 250
Registered Nurses $79,210 $38.08 1,540
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $78,030 $37.52 240
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $77,940 $37.47 540
General and Operations Managers $77,880 $37.44 1,670
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $75,890 $36.49 430
Electricians $73,010 $35.10 290
Accountants and Auditors $71,470 $34.36 630
Loan Officers $70,300 $33.80 210
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $68,490 $32.93 260
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $66,770 $32.10 250
Insurance Sales Agents $63,640 $30.60 240
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $62,800 $30.19 300
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $61,740 $29.68 510
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators $61,100 $29.37 210
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $60,360 n/a 280
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $59,970 $28.83 370
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $59,440 $28.58 390
Forest and Conservation Technicians $59,360 $28.54 380
Human Resources Specialists $59,210 $28.47 280
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $58,880 $28.31 560
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $58,860 $28.30 730
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $58,810 $28.27 220
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $58,750 $28.25 200
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $58,410 n/a 350
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $58,300 $28.03 290
Public Relations Specialists $58,220 $27.99 250
Carpenters $57,870 $27.82 420
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $50,610 $24.33 260
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $50,310 n/a 410
Computer User Support Specialists $49,640 $23.86 230
Training and Development Specialists $49,380 $23.74 280
Construction Laborers $48,990 $23.56 450
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $48,330 $23.24 680
Pharmacy Technicians $46,500 $22.36 240
Billing and Posting Clerks $46,470 $22.34 230
Light Truck Drivers $46,220 $22.22 530
Medical Assistants $45,850 $22.05 340
Bus Drivers, School $45,810 $22.02 210
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $45,690 $21.97 570
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $45,140 $21.70 930
Office Clerks, General $44,110 $21.21 1,460
Parts Salespersons $42,670 $20.52 220
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $42,480 $20.42 650
Customer Service Representatives $42,470 $20.42 710
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $42,170 $20.27 460
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $42,110 $20.25 430
Nursing Assistants $40,390 $19.42 550
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $39,920 $19.19 240
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $39,870 $19.17 650
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $39,460 $18.97 270
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors $39,200 $18.85 210
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $38,830 $18.67 360
Stockers and Order Fillers $38,380 $18.45 1,320

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Missoula by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Fast Food and Counter Workers 2,360 $30,200 $14.52
Retail Salespersons 1,950 $34,270 $16.48
General and Operations Managers 1,670 $77,880 $37.44
Cashiers 1,580 $32,360 $15.56
Registered Nurses 1,540 $79,210 $38.08
Office Clerks, General 1,460 $44,110 $21.21
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,320 $38,380 $18.45
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 1,250 $31,280 $15.04
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,250 $37,510 $18.04
Cooks, Restaurant 1,050 $37,080 $17.83
Waiters and Waitresses 1,000 $21,950 $10.55
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 930 $45,140 $21.70
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 730 $58,860 $28.30
Customer Service Representatives 710 $42,470 $20.42
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 680 $33,270 $16.00
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 680 $48,330 $23.24
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 650 $42,480 $20.42
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 650 $39,870 $19.17
Accountants and Auditors 630 $71,470 $34.36
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 570 $45,690 $21.97

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Montana metro areas

Missoula pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Missoula?

The median across all occupations is $46,660, or $22.44 an hour, covering 66,580 wage and salary workers. The mean is $57,600, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Missoula pay more than the rest of Montana?

No. The metro median of $46,660 is 1.5% below the Montana median of $47,360. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Missoula?

Pharmacists ($132,140), Medical and Health Services Managers ($100,870), Lawyers ($99,490). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Missoula unusually full of?

Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners, at 1.85× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.