How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Montana in 2026?

A typical Physician Assistant in Montana earns about $68.02 per hour ($141,470 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $11,789 a month or $2,721 a week. That hourly figure reflects full-time work across hospitals, clinics, and private practices statewide.

Montana's typical pay runs 4% above the national figure of $135,880 a year ($65.33 an hour). The state ranks 11th out of 51 for Physician Assistant pay. About 600 Physician Assistants work across Montana, compared with 162,150 nationwide, giving a sense of scale next to the national workforce.

Entry-level Physician Assistant positions in Montana typically offer around $53.94 an hour ($112,200 a year), based on the latest government wage data. Pay tends to move toward the statewide typical figure of $141,470 within the first few years on the job. New PAs often start in primary care or rural clinic settings before moving into higher-paying specialties or larger hospital systems.

Experienced Physician Assistants in Montana often earn upwards of $75.17 an hour ($156,350 a year). The top 10% of earners make over $79.60 an hour, or $165,560 a year. That leaves a spread of $53,360 between entry-level and top-earning PAs in the state, with setting, experience, and city all playing a part in where an individual lands.

Montana Physician Assistant pay has risen steadily over the past decade, from $95,250 in 2015 to $141,470 in 2025, according to the latest government wage data. That is a gain of $46,220, or 49%, over ten years. The increase has been fairly consistent year over year, with only a small dip between 2021 and 2022.

Nationally, Physician Assistant pay rose 38% over the same decade, meaning Montana's gain outpaced the country as a whole. Pay has moved up steadily for Physician Assistants in Montana, though past growth is not a promise of future increases. Anyone starting out now enters a role where typical pay has grown well ahead of national trends over the past ten years.

Pay runs highest in Bozeman, where Physician Assistants typically earn $141,800 a year ($68.17 an hour), just above the statewide figure of $141,470. Billings follows closely at $141,470 a year, and it is also the city with the largest Physician Assistant workforce in the state, employing about 150. Missoula and Helena pay somewhat less, at $134,990 and $134,030 a year respectively.

Great Falls pays the least among Montana's largest cities, at $132,740 a year ($63.82 an hour). That is a spread of $9,060 between the highest- and lowest-paying cities in the state. These figures cover each city's full metro area, and differences often track local living costs as much as anything else.

Montana's typical Physician Assistant pay outpaces all four of its neighboring states. Wyoming comes closest at $136,080 a year, about 4% below Montana. Idaho ($133,790), North Dakota ($133,450), and South Dakota ($133,200) each run 5% to 6% lower. Licensure for Physician Assistants can often be transferred or endorsed between neighboring states, which can make regional moves easier for those weighing pay differences across state lines.

Physician Assistants in Montana typically earn $141,470 a year ($68.02 an hour), a figure that has climbed 49% over the past decade. Pay ranks 11th among all states and sits above the national figure. Readers weighing a move or a new role can check Montana's licensing board for current requirements, and the city pages for local pay figures in Bozeman, Billings, Missoula, Helena, and Great Falls.