Average Salaries in Helena, MT
Explore salaries across 243 occupations in Helena, MT. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $66.8K, +1.6% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 243 occupations and 38,700 total jobs in Helena, MT.
How the metro compares
Wages in Helena, MT track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Helena, MT is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Family Medicine Physicians. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Helena, MT
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Helena, MT
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $375.3K | 40 |
| Physicians, All Other | $316.5K | 60 |
| Chief Executives | $173.9K | 90 |
| Marketing Managers | $154.8K | 40 |
| Pharmacists | $146.4K | 100 |
| Sales Managers | $142.5K | 60 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $136.4K | 110 |
| Physician Assistants | $134K | 70 |
| Financial Managers | $133.4K | 150 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $133K | 30 |
Largest occupations in Helena, MT
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,420 | $80.4K |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,130 | $36K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 1,060 | $28.3K |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,010 | $46.5K |
| Registered Nurses | 990 | $98.7K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 960 | $36.6K |
| General And Operations Managers | 940 | $101.5K |
| Cashiers | 940 | $34.8K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 770 | $39.8K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 750 | $37K |
What Helena, MT specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Helena, MT than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Helena, MT
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Gambling And Sports Book Writers And Runners | 31.94 | $22.3K |
| Hydrologists | 29.09 | $86.3K |
| Forest And Conservation Technicians | 19.45 | $54.2K |
| Directors, Religious Activities And Education | 14.19 | $45.2K |
| Gambling Service Workers, All Other | 14.06 | $25.5K |
| Zoologists And Wildlife Biologists | 12.55 | $84.2K |
| Budget Analysts | 11.46 | $79.7K |
| Epidemiologists | 8.97 | $84.3K |
| Environmental Engineers | 8.65 | $100.1K |
| Environmental Scientists And Specialists, Including Health | 8.41 | $81.9K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Helena, MT
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.