Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Montana is $141,470/year ($68.02/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $112K at the entry level to $166K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $145,845 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 13.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Montana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $141K get you in Montana?
About physician assistants
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What this looks like in Montana
Physician assistants pay in Montana tracks closely to the national median, $141K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 13.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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 physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $112K. Mid-career wages sit at $141K. Top earners bring in $166K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Montana
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $142K | +0% | 80 |
| Billings | $141K | +0% | 150 |
| Missoula | $135K | -5% | 90 |
| Helena | $134K | -5% | 70 |
| Great Falls | $133K | -6% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track physician assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $141K, rent takes 13.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $112K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,732/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 17% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Montana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $141K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Montana compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Montana pays $141K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $146K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Montana?
The median is $141,470 a year, that works out to about $68 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $112,200, and experienced physician assistants can clear $165,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $141K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,351/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 13.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physician 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 physician assistants salary is worth about $145,845 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physician 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.