Salaries · United States · Idaho
Salaries in Idaho 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Idaho is $47,970 a year ($23.06 an hour), 6% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 35th highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Idaho earn a median of $55,370 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Idaho: the key figures
| Figure | Idaho | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $47,970 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $61,170 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $29,300 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $103,240 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 857,440 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $55,370 ± $527 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $77,800 ± $743 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 95.5 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $7.25 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $47,970, a single person keeps about $39,290 a year ($3,274 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Idaho income tax. With prices 5% below the US average, $47,970 here buys what $50,200 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $47,970 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$3,576 |
| Social Security | -$2,974 |
| Medicare | -$696 |
| Idaho income tax | -$1,434 |
| Take-home a year | $39,290 |
What drives pay in Idaho
Idaho's economy leans on farming, food processing and building for a fast-growing population. Farms produced 3.3% of the state's GDP in 2025, five times the US share of 0.7%, and food manufacturing 3.0% (US 1.2%), according to BEA. Construction made up 6.6% (US 4.3%), growth the Idaho Department of Labor puts down to strong population growth and housing demand. The higher-paying office industries are smaller than nationally: finance and insurance is 5.4% of GDP (US 8.7%) and professional and technical services 6.5% (US 8.0%).
The exception is memory chips. Computer and electronic products are 2.1% of GDP, twice the US share, and Micron, founded in Boise in 1978, is building two fabs there that it expects to create over 17,000 jobs, with output from the first due in 2027.
Pay is compressed at both ends. The minimum wage is $7.25, the federal level, one worker in ten earns less than $29,300 (US $31,200), and fast food and counter workers are the most common job, 25,810 of them on a median of $28,940. At the top, the 90th percentile is $103,240, far below the US figure of $128,560. The median is $47,970, 6% below the US and 35th of the 50 states and DC, with prices about 5% below the US average.
Growth has been strong: real GDP rose 27.8% from 2019 to 2025, against 15.6% nationally. In September 2026 unemployment was 3.6% (US 4.2%), durable goods manufacturing had 6.8% more jobs than a year earlier and federal government 7.7% fewer. The department reports that employers find it harder to fill jobs than ten years ago, especially in health care, education, manufacturing and finance.
The highest-paid jobs in Idaho
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 1,700 | $299,340 |
| Chief Executives | 2,920 | $177,210 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,950 | $162,240 |
| Pharmacists | 1,790 | $144,900 |
| Marketing Managers | 1,320 | $142,090 |
| Sales Managers | 2,490 | $135,350 |
| Physician Assistants | 1,320 | $133,790 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,750 | $132,540 |
| Software Developers | 5,750 | $131,590 |
| Managers, All Other | 1,230 | $131,550 |
| Electrical Engineers | 1,000 | $129,340 |
| Financial Managers | 3,120 | $127,210 |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,040 | $119,990 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 3,920 | $117,770 |
| Industrial Production Managers | 1,210 | $107,340 |
The most common jobs in Idaho
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 25,810 | $28,940 | $13.91 |
| General and Operations Managers | 24,880 | $80,390 | $38.65 |
| Office Clerks, General | 20,790 | $44,830 | $21.55 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 20,770 | $34,790 | $16.72 |
| Retail Salespersons | 20,180 | $35,080 | $16.87 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 18,770 | $43,200 | $20.77 |
| Cashiers | 17,200 | $30,370 | $14.60 |
| Registered Nurses | 16,880 | $92,460 | $44.45 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 15,920 | $58,770 | $28.26 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 15,610 | $39,900 | $19.18 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 12,450 | $37,310 | $17.94 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 10,950 | $30,050 | $14.45 |
| Construction Laborers | 10,850 | $46,940 | $22.57 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 10,800 | $36,110 | $17.36 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 9,540 | $48,310 | $23.23 |
Pay for careers we cover, in Idaho
Official BLS medians for Idaho; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetist | $263,130 | |
| Pharmacist | 1,790 | $144,900 |
| Physician Assistant | 1,320 | $133,790 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 1,750 | $132,540 |
| Software Engineer | 5,750 | $131,590 |
| Dentist | 650 | $124,190 |
| Commercial Pilot | 310 | $109,620 |
| Lawyer | 2,490 | $103,400 |
| Financial Analyst | 680 | $100,830 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 190 | $95,700 |
| Project Manager | 5,750 | $95,630 |
| Dental Hygienist | 2,060 | $94,650 |
| Registered Nurse | 16,880 | $92,460 |
| Data Scientist | 1,350 | $89,380 |
| Compliance Officer | 1,660 | $75,450 |
| Accountant | 5,570 | $74,730 |
| UX Designer | 340 | $64,250 |
| Electrician | 5,690 | $63,000 |
| Flight Attendant | $62,200 | |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 600 | $61,250 |
| HVAC Technician | 4,550 | $56,240 |
| Plumber | 3,090 | $52,380 |
| Welder | 3,300 | $50,530 |
| Paralegal | 2,030 | $49,690 |
Idaho and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | $47,970 | 95.5 | $50,200 |
| Montana | $48,740 | 94.6 | $51,500 |
| Nevada | $47,660 | 100.0 | $47,700 |
| Oregon | $57,000 | 103.4 | $55,100 |
| Utah | $50,110 | 98.9 | $50,700 |
| Washington | $62,990 | 107.0 | $58,900 |
| Wyoming | $50,270 | 92.7 | $54,200 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Idaho, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- Idaho Department of Labor, idaho@work: 'Idaho's job market experiences rising demand, stubborn shortages and changing expectations' (Brandon Duong and Ryan Whitesides, regional economists), 1 Oct 2026
- Idaho Department of Labor: Idaho economic situation report, October 16, 2026 (September data), 16 Oct 2026
- Micron Technology: 'About Micron' and 'U.S. expansion: Idaho' pages, accessed 31 Oct 2026 (company history from https://www.micron.com/about/company)
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