Tag Archives: Wages

International trade drives Idaho’s wages and employment

Idaho’s economy depends heavily on international markets for the goods and services it produces. The impact of international trade is visible in the state’s growing network of foreign trade partners, rising export volumes and the associated gains in jobs and wages. Tracking these trends helps illustrate how global trade markets influence Idaho’s economy.

Idaho’s international trade partners

As of 2024, Idaho exports to 205 nations. However, the majority of Idaho’s goods and services are sold only to a select few nations, as shown in Figure 1. Canada has been the state’s largest importer at $13.4 billion in sales revenue since 2014, averaging $1.2 billion annually. Continue reading →

The rising cost of living in Idaho limits labor force availability

Idaho’s economy has grown rapidly over the past decade, yet the benefits of growth have not been evenly distributed. While Idaho’s poverty rate is the 15th lowest in the nation at 10.6% ¹ and unemployment remains low, many Idahoans continue to struggle with the rising cost of living.

Median home prices in Idaho have more than doubled since 2016, and rents have risen at one of the fastest rates in the nation.² Combined with higher costs for essentials such as food, child care and transportation, even full-time workers often find themselves increasingly burdened by the rising cost of living.

Poverty and rising costs of living have significant impacts on the labor force, from high mortgage rates constraining labor mobility to the rising cost of raising a family depressing the birthrate.

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Idaho’s average hourly wage increases 5.1% in 2024

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Aug. 25, 2025
Media Contact: Will.Hoenike@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho’s average wage for all occupations in 2024 was $28.10 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 5.1%, or $1.35 per hour, from 2023.

The median wage, representing the midpoint between lowest and highest earners, also rose from $21.27 per hour in 2023 to $22.34 per hour in 2024 — a 5% increase over the year.

Six out of seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in Idaho had average and median wage increases in 2024. The Pocatello MSA experienced the largest increase with both average and median hourly wage growing by over $2 per hour. Continue reading →

Rising cost of child care affects Idaho’s labor market

Child care is a question thousands of parents across Idaho must answer. Prices for child care have increased since 2020 and instability in the child care sector has resulted in thousands of Idahoans going part time or leaving the workforce to fill the gap.

While not the sole contributing factor, the cost of child care remains a major barrier for a significant portion of Idaho’s potential labor force.

Idaho is still experiencing historic labor market tightness despite recent softening. From January to December 2024, the unemployment rate in Idaho increased from 3.3% to 3.8% while the U.S. rate increased from 3.7% to 4.1%. Continue reading →

Idaho’s meteorologists earn 14% more than the national median

Every year on February 2, our nation’s esteemed animal meteorologist, Punxsutawney Phil, lets the country know if he predicts an early spring or six more weeks of winter.

Meanwhile, local atmospheric and space scientists (Standard Occupational Classification 19-2021), including meteorologists, weather analysts and forecasters, continue to study and predict Idaho’s weather on a daily and long-term basis. Continue reading →

National Bagel Day: Idaho bakers’ wages and employment on the rise

Today, bagel lovers rise to the occasion to celebrate National Bagel Day. This annual celebration is only possible due to the tireless efforts of bakers (Standard Occupational Code of 51-3011).

In Idaho, the median wages and employment for bakers have been on a roll in recent years. In 2023, the median hourly wage for this job was $15.34 — an increase of 31.1% from $11.70 in 2018. Similarly, estimated employment was 1,330 in 2023 — up from 900 in 2018. Continue reading →

Idaho’s labor markets normalize and project further growth

Idaho’s economy and labor market experienced extreme and varied conditions in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 sparked an unprecedented burst of job losses, pushing unemployment to record levels in Idaho and across the nation. However, the return to normal economic activity in 2022 left Idaho employers rushing to refill the jobs temporarily lost during the pandemic, resulting in open job postings rising to nearly 80,000 by the summer of 2022.

Within the span of a few years, Idaho experienced record levels of both unemployment and unfilled jobs, reaching both extremes of the labor market. Idaho reached its highest ever level of unemployment in April 2020 at 11.8%, before plunging to its lowest unemployment rate in history in April 2022 at 2.7%. Continue reading →

Idaho’s agricultural technicians have third highest average hourly wage of surrounding states

As Idaho’s pumpkin and greens season comes to a close, the work of an agricultural technician is never done. They must work with scientists to collect, analyze and interpret findings to improve the quality of crops and livestock.

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report shares wages and employment of agricultural technicians (Standard Occupational Code 19-4012) across the nation. In 2023, the average hourly wage for this position in Idaho and six of its neighboring states ranged from $20.92 to $29.89, with Idaho near the middle at $24 an hour. Continue reading →

Idaho LAUNCH increases employment and wages for correctional officers and jailers

The Idaho LAUNCH program is helping to fill critical first responder roles. Idaho LAUNCH is a one-time grant that encourages Idaho residents to study and prepare for in-demand jobs. One such career category is correctional officers and jailers (Standard Occupational Classification of 33-3012). Wages for this career path have increased steadily in recent years and employment has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

From 2018 to 2023, the average wage for correctional officers and jailers increased from $19.09 to $24.82 per hour. Employment numbers have also increased from their recent 2022 low of 1,530 to approximately 1,800 in 2023. LAUNCH can help fill these critical openings to keep employment and wages on the rise.

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Idaho’s 2023 average hourly wage increased 8.3% from 2022

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 7, 2024
Media Contact: Amanda.Rea@labor.idaho.gov
or John.Panter@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho’s average wage for all occupations was $26.75 per hour in 2023, according to recently released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. This amounts to an increase of 8.3%, or $2.06 per hour, from the year prior.

The median wage, representing the midpoint between lowest and highest earners, also rose from $19.26 per hour in 2022 to $21.27 per hour in 2023 — a 10.4% increase over the year.

All of Idaho’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) had an increase in median wage of over $1.00 from 2022 to 2023. However, average wages and staffing patterns vary across the state. The Boise MSA had the largest average hourly wage increase of $2.62 over the year.

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