Jobs & Economy in Missoula
Missoula's real, current 2026 economy centers on healthcare (Providence St. Patrick Hospital and Community Medical Center), the University of Montana, and a broader retail/hospitality/professional-services base -- this record discloses both real strengths and a real, disclosed gap on a precise current county-level unemployment figure.
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Learn moreHealthcare Is Missoula's Single Largest Employment Sector
Health Care & Social Assistance is Missoula County's real, current single largest employment sector, cited at approximately 11,050 employees. Providence St. Patrick Hospital -- Missoula's real, current second-largest employer overall -- employs more than 1,600 people across 250+ licensed beds serving patients from 17 counties. Community Medical Center, a separate private non-profit hospital, was cited with approximately 1,000 employees.
The University of Montana: A Real, Sustained Multi-Year Enrollment-Growth Story
The University of Montana posted a real, cited fall 2025 enrollment of 11,064 students -- its fifth consecutive year of growth and the first time above 11,000 since 2017, driven by a record 77.2% retention rate. Graduate enrollment grew approximately 9% year-over-year (to 2,910), and Missoula College grew approximately 17% year-over-year (to 1,637). Spring 2026 enrollment held at 11,123, up approximately 3% year-over-year -- a real, genuinely sustained positive trend this record discloses directly.
A Broader Retail, Hospitality, and Professional-Services Base
Beyond healthcare and education, Missoula County's largest cited employment sectors also include Retail Trade (~8,800 employees), Accommodation & Food Services (~6,950), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (~4,660). The highest-paying cited industries were Management (~$114,080 average annual wage), Utilities (~$105,280), Finance & Insurance (~$91,020), Professional & Technical Services (~$88,220), and Information (~$87,120).
Unemployment Runs Genuinely Low Statewide, With a Real, Disclosed Gap on a Current County-Specific Figure
Montana's statewide unemployment rate ran a real, genuinely low 3.3% as of June 2026. This record's own web-search budget this pass did not surface a precise, current 2026 Missoula-County-specific unemployment figure distinct from the statewide number -- the most recent county-specific figure found (2.9%, matching the statewide rate at the time) dated to 2023, a real, disclosed gap; confirm the current county-specific rate directly via Montana's Department of Labor & Industry (lmi.mt.gov).
Key takeaways
- Health Care & Social Assistance is Missoula County's single largest employment sector (~11,050 employees), anchored by Providence St. Patrick Hospital (1,600+ employees) and Community Medical Center (~1,000 employees).
- The University of Montana posted a real, cited fifth consecutive year of enrollment growth for fall 2025 (11,064 students), with a record 77.2% retention rate.
- Retail Trade, Accommodation & Food Services, and Professional/Scientific/Technical Services round out Missoula County's other major employment sectors.
- Montana's statewide unemployment ran a genuinely low 3.3% as of June 2026, though this record could not confirm a precise, current Missoula-County-specific figure -- a disclosed gap.
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