NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: July 22, 2026
Media Contact: Will.Hoenike@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho’s average wage for all occupations in 2025 was $29.41 per hour, according to recently released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wages Statistics (OEWS) program. This amounts to an increase of 4.7%, or $1.31 per hour, from 2024.

Idaho ranked third in the country behind Kentucky and Montana in terms of percentage increase in average wage.

The median wage, representing the midpoint between lowest and highest earners, also rose from $22.34 per hour in 2024 to $23.06 per hour in 2025 — a 3.2% increase over the year.

All seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in Idaho had average and median wage increases in 2025. The Coeur d’Alene MSA experienced the largest increase in average wage, rising $1.68, while the Pocatello MSA had the greatest increase in median wage at $0.95.

Among the state’s labor market regions, southwestern Idaho had the highest average hourly wage at $30.76 for 2025 and was the only region to surpass $30 per hour. It also had the highest median wage at $23.53 per hour — closely followed by north central at $23.08 per hour. All labor market regions surpassed $22 per hour in median and average wages in 2025.

Employment is also still growing across the state. In 2025, Idaho’s reported employment number was 857,440 — an increase of over 12,000, or 1.5%, from 2024’s total of 844,910. All MSAs and labor market regions experienced employment growth, with the Lewiston MSA and north central region seeing the largest increases at 2.8% and 2.3%, respectively.

Idaho’s largest occupation by employment in 2025 was fast food and counter workers with over 25,000 employed, followed by general and operations managers at 24,880. On the national level, these occupations ranked third and fourth after home health and personal care aides and retail salespersons.

This release includes 2025 data on employment and wages by occupation for the state, including MSAs and rural county regions. Idaho also compiles and releases information on labor market regions which are not official Bureau of Labor Statistics areas but have great importance to Idaho.

Visit the department’s OEWS webpage for complete employment and wage data on the state as well as its MSAs, nonmetropolitan areas and labor market regions.

This Idaho Department of Labor project is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor for SFY26 as part of a Workforce Information grant (41%) and state/nonfederal funds (59%) totaling $860,595.

This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.