What does the top of the MA pay scale look like in Montana?

The 90th percentile lands at $53,010. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $47,850.

How many MAs does Montana employ?

BLS OES counts 2,290 MAs employed in Montana in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.

Why is the BEA RPP for Montana different from a single CPI number?

BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. Montana's overall index of 91.0 reflects rents 76.8, services 72.8, and goods 96.5.

How wide is the wage spread in Montana?

P10 to P90 spans $37,750 to $53,010. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.

Is Montana a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for MAs?

Yes — the BEA RPP of 91.0 is below the national 100 baseline, so nominal $45,440 stretches to a real-wage equivalent of $49,926. The take-home advantage versus a higher-RPP state is meaningful for MAs comparing offers across regions.

Specialty MA pay (cardiology / dermatology / ortho) vs primary care in Montana?

BLS aggregates all medical assistants under one SOC. In Montana, specialty practice MAs — particularly in dermatology, cardiology, orthopedics, and ophthalmology — typically earn 10-20% above primary-care MA pay, reflecting tighter procedural support requirements and longer training ramps. Surgical specialty MAs assisting in office-based procedures (skin biopsies, in-office injections, vascular ultrasound assist) sit at the top of the BLS band in Montana. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community-health clinics in Montana typically pay below BLS median but offer PSLF eligibility and stronger benefits.

Is the medical assistant role still a viable RN-bridge path in Montana?

MA → RN remains a common pathway in Montana. The financial logic: an MA earning at the Montana BLS median while completing an associate-degree RN program (typically 2 years post-prerequisites, $5K-$25K tuition at community college) sees an average BLS-reported wage roughly 2-2.5× higher post-licensure. BSN-direct programs ($40K-$120K) extend payback timeline but open hospital and management tracks. Many Montana health systems offer tuition support or ladder programs that effectively eliminate program cost — making the MA-to-RN economic transition substantially more favorable than the headline tuition implies.

How Much Do Medical Assistants Make in Montana? $45K (2026 BLS + BEA)

TL;DR

Montana pays MAs a BLS median of $45,440 — the more useful number is $49,926, what that paycheck buys after rent and services.
On a real-wage basis, this state sits at #6 of 51; nominal rank is #20.
Cost of living below the national index lifts real wage by $4,486 over the nominal — a take-home arbitrage that nominal-ranking tables miss.
P25-P75 spread runs $39,400 to $47,850; P10 floor $37,750, P90 ceiling $53,010.

Wage breakdown — Montana

Percentile	Nominal (BLS)	Real (BEA RPP-adjusted)
P10 (entry tier)	$37,750	$41,477
P25 (lower quartile)	$39,400	$43,290
P50 (median)	$45,440	$49,926
P75 (upper quartile)	$47,850	$52,574
P90 (top tier)	$53,010	$58,244
Mean	$45,060	$49,509
Employment	2,290 MAs in Montana

Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity

Component	Montana index (US = 100)
All-items RPP	91.0
Goods	96.5
Services	72.8
Rents	76.8

Montana sits below the national baseline (RPP 91.0), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 76.8.

After-tax take-home — Montana (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)

Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median

Layer	Amount	Note
Gross BLS P50 (MA)	$45,440	nominal median
Federal income tax	−$3,315	7.3% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied
State income tax	−$1,574	4.7–5.9% (2 brackets)
FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%)	−$3,476	SS capped at $183,600 wage base
Take-home (after-tax)	$37,075	81.6% of gross
Real take-home (RPP-adjusted)	$40,736	÷ (91.0 / 100) BEA cost-of-living

What the Montana state-tax burden means for MA take-home

Mid-band state-tax burden at 3.5% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $37,075 (81.6% of gross). After the 91.0 RPP, real take-home is $40,736.

Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).

National context

Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $44,200 for MAs with mean pay of $44,720 and total employment of 793,460. Montana sits at #20 on nominal pay and #6 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Montana climbs 14 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.

Frequently asked questions

What does the top of the MA pay scale look like in Montana?: The 90th percentile lands at $53,010. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $47,850.
How many MAs does Montana employ?: BLS OES counts 2,290 MAs employed in Montana in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
Why is the BEA RPP for Montana different from a single CPI number?: BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. Montana's overall index of 91.0 reflects rents 76.8, services 72.8, and goods 96.5.
How wide is the wage spread in Montana?: P10 to P90 spans $37,750 to $53,010. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.
Is Montana a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for MAs?: Yes — the BEA RPP of 91.0 is below the national 100 baseline, so nominal $45,440 stretches to a real-wage equivalent of $49,926. The take-home advantage versus a higher-RPP state is meaningful for MAs comparing offers across regions.
Specialty MA pay (cardiology / dermatology / ortho) vs primary care in Montana?: BLS aggregates all medical assistants under one SOC. In Montana, specialty practice MAs — particularly in dermatology, cardiology, orthopedics, and ophthalmology — typically earn 10-20% above primary-care MA pay, reflecting tighter procedural support requirements and longer training ramps. Surgical specialty MAs assisting in office-based procedures (skin biopsies, in-office injections, vascular ultrasound assist) sit at the top of the BLS band in Montana. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community-health clinics in Montana typically pay below BLS median but offer PSLF eligibility and stronger benefits.
Is the medical assistant role still a viable RN-bridge path in Montana?: MA → RN remains a common pathway in Montana. The financial logic: an MA earning at the Montana BLS median while completing an associate-degree RN program (typically 2 years post-prerequisites, $5K-$25K tuition at community college) sees an average BLS-reported wage roughly 2-2.5× higher post-licensure. BSN-direct programs ($40K-$120K) extend payback timeline but open hospital and management tracks. Many Montana health systems offer tuition support or ladder programs that effectively eliminate program cost — making the MA-to-RN economic transition substantially more favorable than the headline tuition implies.

Sources & methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 31-9092, 2024 reference period.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.

By Marcus Liang · Founder & Editor · Last synced 2026-05-07.

Cross-comparison: see how Montana MA pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.