Physician assistant salary in Montana
Montana physician assistants earn a median of $141,470 a year ($68.02 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 4% above the national median of $135,880, and ranks 11th of 51 states.
Median, Montana
$141,470
Mean $140,800
Middle half earns
$129,750 to $156,350
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Montana
600
1.13x the national concentration
Where Montana sits in the range
Montana
Statewide
United States
National
Billings
Metro area
Missoula
Metro area
Bozeman
Metro area
Helena
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Montana physician assistants earned less than $112,200 and ten percent earned more than $165,560, a spread of $53,360. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | Montana | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $112,200 | $99,380 | +12.9% |
| 25th | $129,750 | $120,670 | +7.5% |
| Median | $141,470 | $135,880 | +4.1% |
| 75th | $156,350 | $163,980 | -4.7% |
| 90th | $165,560 | $190,280 | -13.0% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 5 metro areas that include part of Montana. Bozeman, MT has the highest median at $141,800. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 150 | $141,470 | $129,510 to $141,470 |
| Missoula, MT | 90 | $134,990 | $126,870 to $149,760 |
| Bozeman, MT | 80 | $141,800 | $135,450 to $157,170 |
| Helena, MT | 70 | $134,030 | $127,130 to $158,720 |
| Great Falls, MT | 60 | $132,740 | $129,630 to $158,970 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Montana
| Occupation | Montana | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $141,470 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $137,210 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $277,380 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $85,280 | $97,550 |
The Montana PA workforce
BLS counts 600 physician assistants on Montana payrolls, or 1.18 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, close to the national concentration. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 994 physician assistants with a Montana practice address, and 33 new PA NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $129,750, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Montana physician assistants earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $156,350, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about PA pay in Montana
How much does a PA make in Montana?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Montana was $141,470 in May 2025, and the mean was $140,800, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $129,750 and $156,350.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Montana?
The median hourly wage was $68.02 and the mean was $67.69. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do PAs earn the most in Montana?
Among Montana metro areas with published data, Bozeman, MT had the highest median at $141,800, and Great Falls, MT the lowest at $132,740.
How does Montana rank for PA pay?
Montana ranks 11th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 4% above the national median of $135,880. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many physician assistants work in Montana?
BLS estimated 600 physician assistants employed in Montana in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 994 with a Montana practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1071, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
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