As of 2020, Montana ranked among the top five states in the nation for its number of residents over the age of 65. The sheer number of seniors here, which accounts for 18.8% of the state’s total population, translates into a greater demand for healthcare services. For healthcare practitioners and support professionals this, of course, means better and more varied professional opportunities.
And for medical professionals, this means a growing number of jobs here in the coming years. In other words, there’s plenty of room here to make your way in the medical assisting field. According to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, there were 1,190 medical assistants working in Big Sky Country in 2019; by 2021, this number is projected to grow to 1,230 – that’s an impressive 3.4% increase in just a few, short years.
Average wages here also give aspiring medical assistants plenty to get excited about. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2019 the average hourly wage for medical assistants was $17.36, or $36,110 a year. The top earners here earned an average hourly wage of $22.88, or $47,580 annually during this time – nearly $11,00 more, so you can feel confident knowing you’re entering a field with plenty of room to grow your paycheck.
Average Hourly Wages for Medical Assistants in Montana’s Metro Areas
The BLS reported the following average, hourly wage range (median – top 10%) for medical assistants in Montana’s largest metro areas:
- Billings: $16.91 – $23.29 (approximately 260 medical assistants)
- Great Falls: $15.76 – $21.52 (approximately 70 medical assistants)
- Missoula: $18.74 – $23.72 (approximately 270 medical assistants)
Missoula’s medical assistants are the top earners among Montana’s metro areas, both at the median and top 10% levels.
Average Salaries for Medical Assistants in Montana’s Metro Areas
The following BLS stats provide a glimpse into what medical assistants in the median – top 10% salary range are earning in Montana’s largest metro areas:
- Billings: $35,160 – $48,450
- Great Falls: $32,790 – $44,770
- Missoula: $38,970 – $49,330
US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for medical assistants represents state data not school-specific information.
2019 job growth projections from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry are aggregated through the U.S. Department of Labor-Sponsored resource, Projections Central.
Conditions in your area may vary.
All salary and employment data accessed May 2020.