Highest-paying trades in Idaho
Updated September 27, 2026
Electrical power-line installers and repairers are the highest-paying skilled trade in Idaho, with a median of $125,410 a year, according to May 2025 BLS data. 51 of the 67 trades ranked here pay more than the $47,970 median for all jobs in Idaho.
All 67 trades by median pay in Idaho
| # | Trade | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical power-line installers and repairers860 jobs · +32% vs U.S. | $125,410$60.29/hr |
| 2 | Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay100 jobs · +16% vs U.S. | $119,170$57.29/hr |
| 3 | Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers+69% vs U.S. | $107,250$51.56/hr |
| 4 | Boilermakers70 jobs · +16% vs U.S. | $88,400$42.50/hr |
| 5 | Rail car repairers110 jobs · +26% vs U.S. | $85,420$41.07/hr |
| 6 | Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door180 jobs · +14% vs U.S. | $84,390$40.57/hr |
| 7 | Avionics technicians80 jobs · −2% vs U.S. | $80,620$38.76/hr |
| 8 | Rail-Track laying and maintenance equipment operators90 jobs · +13% vs U.S. | $79,020$37.99/hr |
| 9 | Medical equipment repairers310 jobs · +20% vs U.S. | $74,270$35.71/hr |
| 10 | Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators130 jobs · +37% vs U.S. | $73,210$35.20/hr |
| 11 | Riggers60 jobs · +16% vs U.S. | $72,850$35.03/hr |
| 12 | Structural iron and steel workers500 jobs · +16% vs U.S. | $72,750$34.98/hr |
| 13 | Miscellaneous construction and related workers450 jobs · +31% vs U.S. | $65,420$31.45/hr |
| 14 | Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines1,220 jobs · −1% vs U.S. | $64,830$31.17/hr |
| 15 | Millwrights410 jobs · −2% vs U.S. | $64,710$31.11/hr |
| 16 | Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment420 jobs · −13% vs U.S. | $64,410$30.96/hr |
| 17 | Construction and building inspectors1,000 jobs · −15% vs U.S. | $63,570$30.56/hr |
| 18 | Electricians5,690 jobs · 0% vs U.S. | $63,000$30.29/hr |
| 19 | Industrial machinery mechanics2,750 jobs · −3% vs U.S. | $62,860$30.22/hr |
| 20 | Brickmasons and blockmasons320 jobs · +1% vs U.S. | $62,510$30.06/hr |
| 21 | Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers1,080 jobs · −2% vs U.S. | $62,440$30.02/hr |
| 22 | Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators4,270 jobs · +3% vs U.S. | $61,680$29.66/hr |
| 23 | Aircraft mechanics and service technicians600 jobs · −23% vs U.S. | $61,250$29.45/hr |
| 24 | Wind turbine service technicians40 jobs · −5% vs U.S. | $60,810$29.24/hr |
| 25 | Glaziers580 jobs · +5% vs U.S. | $59,850$28.77/hr |
| 26 | Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians680 jobs · +5% vs U.S. | $59,600$28.65/hr |
| 27 | Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists1,930 jobs · −4% vs U.S. | $59,230$28.48/hr |
| 28 | Pipelayers280 jobs · +20% vs U.S. | $58,650$28.20/hr |
| 29 | Roofers1,190 jobs · +4% vs U.S. | $57,790$27.78/hr |
| 30 | Tapers310 jobs · −15% vs U.S. | $57,690$27.74/hr |
| 31 | Audiovisual equipment installers and repairers240 jobs · +8% vs U.S. | $56,690$27.26/hr |
| 32 | Cement masons and concrete finishers2,540 jobs · −1% vs U.S. | $56,410$27.12/hr |
| 33 | Telecommunications line installers and repairers300 jobs · −24% vs U.S. | $56,340$27.09/hr |
| 34 | Maintenance workers, machinery170 jobs · −8% vs U.S. | $56,250$27.05/hr |
| 35 | Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers4,550 jobs · −8% vs U.S. | $56,240$27.04/hr |
| 36 | Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles90 jobs · +15% vs U.S. | $55,760$26.81/hr |
| 37 | Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics190 jobs · +16% vs U.S. | $55,320$26.59/hr |
| 38 | Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters3,090 jobs · −18% vs U.S. | $52,380$25.18/hr |
| 39 | Highway maintenance workers1,340 jobs · +4% vs U.S. | $52,050$25.02/hr |
| 40 | Carpenters8,380 jobs · −14% vs U.S. | $52,000$25.00/hr |
| 41 | Mechanical door repairers180 jobs · −7% vs U.S. | $51,770$24.89/hr |
| 42 | Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other990 jobs · +5% vs U.S. | $51,680$24.84/hr |
| 43 | Carpet installers170 jobs · +2% vs U.S. | $51,550$24.79/hr |
| 44 | Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers3,300 jobs · −6% vs U.S. | $50,530$24.30/hr |
| 45 | Hazardous materials removal workers600 jobs · +1% vs U.S. | $49,710$23.90/hr |
| 46 | Recreational vehicle service technicians370 jobs · −5% vs U.S. | $49,550$23.82/hr |
| 47 | Automotive body and related repairers850 jobs · −10% vs U.S. | $49,200$23.65/hr |
| 48 | Security and fire alarm systems installers340 jobs · −18% vs U.S. | $49,180$23.65/hr |
| 49 | Automotive glass installers and repairers110 jobs · +2% vs U.S. | $48,530$23.33/hr |
| 50 | Automotive service technicians and mechanics5,030 jobs · −4% vs U.S. | $48,420$23.28/hr |
| 51 | Maintenance and repair workers, general8,200 jobs · −3% vs U.S. | $48,190$23.17/hr |
| 52 | Tile and stone setters570 jobs · −14% vs U.S. | $47,940$23.05/hr |
| 53 | Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers60 jobs · −15% vs U.S. | $47,840$23.00/hr |
| 54 | Motorboat mechanics and service technicians100 jobs · −17% vs U.S. | $47,740$22.95/hr |
| 55 | Construction laborers10,850 jobs · 0% vs U.S. | $46,940$22.57/hr |
| 56 | Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners230 jobs · −6% vs U.S. | $46,860$22.53/hr |
| 57 | Sheet metal workers1,290 jobs · −25% vs U.S. | $46,350$22.29/hr |
| 58 | Home appliance repairers260 jobs · −10% vs U.S. | $45,650$21.95/hr |
| 59 | Painters, construction and maintenance2,040 jobs · −9% vs U.S. | $44,880$21.58/hr |
| 60 | Drywall and ceiling tile installers920 jobs · −26% vs U.S. | $43,790$21.05/hr |
| 61 | Motorcycle mechanics130 jobs · −11% vs U.S. | $43,470$20.90/hr |
| 62 | Locksmiths and safe repairers150 jobs · −15% vs U.S. | $43,460$20.90/hr |
| 63 | Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers140 jobs · −9% vs U.S. | $43,230$20.79/hr |
| 64 | Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall330 jobs · −15% vs U.S. | $41,550$19.98/hr |
| 65 | Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers180 jobs · −18% vs U.S. | $39,190$18.84/hr |
| 66 | Tire repairers and changers1,070 jobs · 0% vs U.S. | $37,570$18.06/hr |
| 67 | Bicycle repairers260 jobs · −12% vs U.S. | $37,550$18.06/hr |
Linked trades have full Idaho pay pages, with pay in each metro area. See also: highest-paying trades in the U.S.
How we ranked them
Ranked by median annual wage in Idaho, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state estimates, May 2025. “vs U.S.” compares each trade with its own national median. Which occupations count as trades: Construction occupations and installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (BLS major groups 47 and 49), plus welders, excluding first-line supervisors, helpers, and mining and oil-and-gas extraction occupations. BLS doesn't publish a Idaho median for 21 of the 88 trades in the national ranking, usually because too few people do that work there to estimate; they're left out. Wages exclude self-employed workers. Methodology
Questions
- What is the highest-paying trade in Idaho?
- Electrical power-line installers and repairers, with a median of $125,410 a year ($60.29 an hour) in Idaho, per May 2025 BLS data.
- Which trades pay over $100,000 in Idaho?
- 3 trades have a median of $100,000 or more in Idaho: electrical power-line installers and repairers ($125,410), electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay ($119,170), radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers ($107,250).
- How many trades pay more than the typical job in Idaho?
- 51 of the 67 trades ranked here have a median above $47,970, the median for all occupations in Idaho.
- Do trades pay more in Idaho than in the rest of the U.S.?
- 26 of the 67 trades have a higher median in Idaho than nationally. The biggest gap is radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers: $107,250, 69% above the U.S. median of $63,520.
- Which trade employs the most people in Idaho?
- Construction laborers, with about 10,850 jobs and a median of $46,940 a year.