SOC 13-2011

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Helena, MT (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + MT
COL Index: 102.4 (+2.4% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.6% Realized
$56,486 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $76,700 $36.88/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.35% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$15,612 $600.45/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $36.88 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,602/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,012/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,032
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,755
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,112
Montana Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,713
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$56,486 ($2,172.55 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Helena, MT Accountant & Auditor Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $76,700
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $50.3k 25th $63.9k Median: $76,700 50th (Median) $76.7k 75th $90.3k 90th $106k You: $76,700
10th (Entry) $50,280 $24.17/hr
25th (Junior) $63,940 $30.74/hr
50th (Median) $76,700 $36.88/hr
75th (Senior) $90,320 $43.42/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $105,890 $50.91/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Accountant & Auditor in Helena, MT
1
Staff AccountantBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$51,329$24.68/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior AccountantDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; CPA license
$61,411$29.52/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Accounting ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; CPA license
$76,718$36.88/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Corporate ControllerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$100,641$48.39/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Vice President of FinanceExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$132,080$63.50/hr · 14+ Years
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Financial Managers+$82,890/yr
National median: $166,570
Skill overlap: 94%View Salary
Financial Examiners+$10,480/yr
National median: $94,160
Skill overlap: 93%
Tax Preparers-$28,760/yr
National median: $54,920
Skill overlap: 93%
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks-$33,010/yr
National median: $50,670
Skill overlap: 89%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Helena, MT under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
22% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,040/month Requires minimum annual gross of $41,600
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,320/month Requires minimum annual gross of $52,800
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.40/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $41.20/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Helena, MT.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$76,700-$15,612$56,486$2,172.55
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$91,081-$20,450$65,167$2,506.41
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$105,463-$25,288$73,847$2,840.27
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$119,844-$30,126$82,527$3,174.13
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$134,225-$35,051$91,120$3,504.63
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Accountant & Auditor in Helena, MT: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Montana tax codes.

Market Baseline
$76,700/yr
$36.88/hr · SOC 13-2011
Statutory Tax Drag
20.35% Effective
-$15,612 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
22% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,667/mo
Post-$1,040/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 13-2011
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Accountant & Auditor in Helena, MT: Market Snapshot

Accountant & Auditor roles in Helena, MT report a median annual wage of $76,700, 8.3% below the national median of $83,680. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $50,280 to $105,890, and HUD’s $1,040 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 16.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.40 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Accountant & Auditor

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700+58.7%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730+44.4%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,650+37.7%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,140+33.2%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$102,020+33.0%
Midland, TX$100,890+31.5%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$100,420+30.9%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$100,150+30.6%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$100,020+30.4%
Boulder, CO$99,990+30.4%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Helena, MT

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$173,880$83.60/hr
Marketing Managers$154,770$74.41/hr
Sales Managers$142,520$68.52/hr
Nurse Practitioner$136,420$65.59/hr
Physician Assistant$134,030$64.44/hr
Financial Manager$133,360$64.12/hr
Industrial Production Managers$133,010$63.95/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$130,230$62.61/hr
Administrative Services Managers$129,670$62.34/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$126,900$61.01/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 393 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Helena, MT (2026) Overview

Accountant & Auditor median pay in Helena, MT is $76,700 a year ($36.88/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living wage.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for an Accountant & Auditor in Helena, MT?

The median annual wage is $76,700 ($36.88 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $50,280 and $105,890. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for an Accountant & Auditor in Helena, MT after taxes?

On the median wage of $76,700, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $59,816 a year ($4,985 a month) after $16,884 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.01%, using 2026 tax rules.