Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary
The median pay for a medical secretaries and administrative assistants in Montana is $43,740/year ($21.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $52K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $45,093 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 37.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Montana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Montana?
About medical secretaries and administrative assistants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Montana
Medical secretaries and administrative assistants pay in Montana tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,129/month, which is 37.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level medical secretaries and administrative assistants (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $52K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants salary by metro in Montana
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $48K | +9% | 570 |
| Great Falls | $45K | +3% | 340 |
| Missoula | $44K | +1% | 650 |
| Billings | $44K | -0% | 820 |
| Helena | $44K | -0% | 340 |
Compare to other states
Track medical secretaries and administrative assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a medical secretaries and administrative assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 37.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical secretaries and administrative assistants in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical secretaries and administrative assistants typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,159/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is medical secretaries and administrative assistant a high-paying job in Montana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Montana compare to the national average for medical secretaries and administrative assistants?
Montana pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do medical secretaries and administrative assistants make in Montana?
The median is $43,740 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,990, and experienced medical secretaries and administrative assistants can clear $51,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,976/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 37.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a medical secretaries and administrative assistants salary go in Montana?
Montana has a Regional Price Parity of 97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median medical secretaries and administrative assistants salary is worth about $45,093 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do medical secretaries and administrative assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.