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.
Among the state’s labor market regions, southwestern Idaho had the highest average hourly wage for 2023 at $27.87. It also had the highest median wage for 2023 at $21.69 per hour — barely edging out north central Idaho’s median wage of $21.66 per hour. The lowest median wage was in southeastern Idaho at $19.80 per hour — the only labor market region with a median or mean wage under $20.00 for 2023.
Employment has also grown across the state. In 2023, Idaho’s reported employment number was 822,690 — an increase of over 25,000, or 3.2%, from 2022’s total of 797,420. Boise, the largest MSA, experienced the bulk of the state’s employment growth. The Boise MSA added 14,240 jobs — a 4.0% gain, exceeding the state’s growth of 3.2%.
North central Idaho’s employment growth was the smallest, with a modest increase of 910 between 2022 and 2023. While this region had the smallest numerical increase in employment, it grew by 2.1% from the previous year.
This release includes 2023 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.
