Trade pay in Boise
Boise City, ID: 23 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.
Every trade in Boise, ranked
| # | Trade | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Median $/yr | Jobs | vs state | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lineman | $34.62 | $60.98 | $68.03 | $126,840 | 340 | 1% above | 33% above |
| 2 | Construction manager | $28.87 | $52.88 | $78.07 | $109,990 | 1,270 | 5% above | 4% below |
| 3 | Ironworker | $23.34 | $37.47 | $49.37 | $77,940 | 200 | 7% above | 24% above |
| 4 | Construction supervisor | $26.63 | $37.26 | $50.21 | $77,500 | 3,500 | 3% above | 3% below |
| 5 | Millwright | $28.54 | $31.11 | $35.56 | $64,710 | 70 | about the same as | 2% below |
| 6 | Brickmason | $23.05 | $30.06 | $37.88 | $62,510 | 150 | about the same as | 1% above |
| 7 | Electrician | $18.80 | $29.62 | $44.13 | $61,610 | 2,510 | 2% below | 3% below |
| 8 | Glazier | $19.68 | $29.31 | $39.18 | $60,960 | 300 | 2% above | 7% above |
| 9 | Heavy equipment operator | $23.80 | $29.29 | $37.82 | $60,930 | 1,730 | 1% below | 2% above |
| 10 | Crane operator | $23.67 | $29.06 | $50.11 | $60,440 | — | 15% above | 11% below |
| 11 | Machinist | $18.82 | $29.05 | $42.74 | $60,430 | 440 | 3% above | 3% above |
| 12 | Diesel mechanic | $22.52 | $29.01 | $38.16 | $60,340 | 730 | 2% above | 2% below |
| 13 | Roofer | $18.17 | $28.89 | $34.52 | $60,100 | 650 | 4% above | 8% above |
| 14 | HVAC technician | $19.72 | $27.53 | $38.72 | $57,270 | 2,270 | 2% above | 6% below |
| 15 | Plumber | $18.96 | $27.38 | $39.79 | $56,940 | 1,760 | 9% above | 11% below |
| 16 | Cement mason | $20.62 | $26.95 | $34.70 | $56,060 | 1,110 | 1% below | 2% below |
| 17 | Sheet metal worker | $17.50 | $26.89 | $37.72 | $55,920 | 860 | 21% above | 9% below |
| 18 | Carpenter | $17.55 | $24.45 | $36.80 | $50,850 | 4,080 | 2% below | 16% below |
| 19 | Welder | $19.47 | $24.15 | $34.58 | $50,240 | 1,400 | 1% below | 7% below |
| 20 | Tile setter | $16.58 | $24.07 | $28.72 | $50,070 | 300 | 4% above | 10% below |
| 21 | Construction laborer | $18.22 | $22.84 | $29.93 | $47,510 | 4,700 | 1% above | 1% above |
| 22 | Painter | $16.90 | $21.88 | $29.74 | $45,500 | 1,030 | 1% above | 8% below |
| 23 | Drywall installer | $14.22 | $21.30 | $30.71 | $44,300 | 480 | 1% above | 25% below |
Statewide figures for every trade are on the highest-paying trades in Idaho page; county union scale is on the Idaho prevailing wage page.
Union scale in the Boise area
The highest Davis-Bacon Building-construction package among the counties in the Boise metro, next to the metro market median from BLS.
| Trade | Metro market median | DB base | Fringe | Total package | Rate source | Counties with a rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician | $29.62 | $42.25 | $18.84 | $61.09 | Union | 5 of 5 |
| Carpenter | $24.45 | $22.49 | $3.61 | $26.10 | Survey | 5 of 5 |
| Construction laborer | $22.84 | $17.26 | $3.62 | $20.88 | Survey | 5 of 5 |
| Heavy equipment operator | $29.29 | $23.60 | $4.33 | $27.93 | Survey | 5 of 5 |
| Ironworker | $37.47 | $33.37 | $22.98 | $56.35 | Union | 5 of 5 |
| Sheet metal worker | $26.89 | $35.50 | $22.52 | $58.02 | Union | 5 of 5 |
| Painter | $21.88 | $17.11 | $1.25 | $18.36 | Survey | 5 of 5 |
Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the Idaho prevailing wage page.
Construction jobs in Boise
40.7kConstruction jobs2026-09
+3.8%Change over 12 months
+31.7%Change over 5 years
Questions this page answers
What is the highest-paying trade in Boise?
In the Boise City, ID metro area, linemen had the highest median wage at $60.98 an hour in May 2025, with 340 jobs counted.
Do trades pay more in Boise than the rest of Idaho?
In Boise, 16 of 23 trades pay above the Idaho state median and 5 pay below it; the biggest premium is for linemen at $60.98.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Boise City, ID MSA.
- BLS CES metro employment.
- BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.