Lineman salary in Idaho
Median $60.29 an hour for 860 linemen, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Lineman pay in Idaho: the full range
Idaho ranks 6th of 51 states for median lineman pay, and 1st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $63.13). 860 linemen work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $36.43 – $47.61 | $75,770 – $99,040 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $47.61 – $61.58 | $99,040 – $128,090 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $61.58 – $63.05 | $128,090 – $131,140 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Lineman pay by metro in Idaho
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pocatello | $46.64 | $61.39 | $69.06 | $61.39 | 30 | 2% above |
| Lewiston | $36.15 | $60.99 | $66.88 | $65.12 | 30 | 1% above |
| Boise | $34.62 | $60.98 | $61.97 | $68.03 | 340 | 1% above |
| Coeur d'Alene | $36.64 | $60.52 | $61.57 | $60.86 | 90 | about the same as |
| Idaho Falls | $22.92 | $52.24 | $55.34 | $65.12 | 80 | 13% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Lineman wages in Idaho over time
Table
| Year | Idaho $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $22.90 | $44.25 | $20.97 | 820 |
| 2000 | $25.01 | $46.76 | $22.01 | 680 |
| 2001 | $25.46 | $46.28 | $22.70 | 790 |
| 2002 | $25.02 | $44.77 | $23.33 | 720 |
| 2003 | $27.49 | $48.10 | $23.54 | 640 |
| 2004 | $26.91 | $45.86 | $23.61 | 570 |
| 2005 | $27.29 | $44.99 | $24.11 | 890 |
| 2006 | $29.12 | $46.50 | $24.41 | 620 |
| 2007 | $28.40 | $44.10 | $25.27 | 1,030 |
| 2008 | $32.30 | $48.30 | $26.49 | 1,190 |
| 2009 | $31.07 | $46.62 | $27.24 | 1,300 |
| 2010 | $33.50 | $49.46 | $27.90 | 890 |
| 2011 | $34.74 | $49.72 | $28.94 | 860 |
| 2012 | $37.09 | $52.01 | $30.41 | 800 |
| 2013 | $38.11 | $52.67 | $30.85 | 830 |
| 2014 | $39.00 | $53.04 | $31.70 | 690 |
| 2015 | $40.87 | $55.51 | $31.95 | 590 |
| 2016 | $42.01 | $56.35 | $32.70 | 540 |
| 2017 | $43.05 | $56.54 | $33.36 | 650 |
| 2018 | $43.00 | $55.13 | $34.09 | 710 |
| 2019 | $41.16 | $51.83 | $34.86 | 810 |
| 2020 | $42.33 | $52.66 | $36.07 | 700 |
| 2021 | $46.76 | $55.56 | $37.65 | 680 |
| 2022 | $50.43 | $55.48 | $39.59 | 490 |
| 2023 | $50.54 | $53.40 | $41.07 | 780 |
| 2024 | $57.81 | $59.33 | $44.50 | 800 |
| 2025 | $60.29 | $60.29 | $45.83 | 860 |
In today's dollars, the median lineman wage in Idaho changed by +8.6% over the last ten years of data and by +16.3% since 2019.
Are there more lineman jobs in Idaho?
BLS counted 860 linemen in Idaho in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 7%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for linemen in Idaho
Idaho's labor market agency projects the number of linemen in the state to change by +12.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 250 to 280, with about 20 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 860 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Idaho labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Idaho?
Keep comparing
Lineman pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Idaho
- Electrician
- Plumber
- HVAC technician
- Welder
- Carpenter
- Diesel mechanic
- Crane operator
- Heavy equipment operator
More on Idaho
Questions this page answers
How much do linemen make in Idaho?
The median lineman in Idaho earned $60.29 an hour ($125,410 a year) in May 2025, 32% above the national median of $45.83. The middle half earn $47.61–$61.58; the top 10% earn more than $63.05.
Where does Idaho rank for lineman pay?
Idaho ranks 6th of 51 states for lineman pay, with a median of $60.29 an hour, and 1st after adjusting for Idaho's cost of living (BEA price parity 95.5, US = 100).
What is the union lineman rate in Idaho?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a lineman classification for most Idaho counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many linemen work in Idaho?
BLS counted 860 linemen in Idaho in May 2025, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.19; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is lineman work growing in Idaho?
Idaho's labor market agency projects +12.1% growth for linemen between 2024 and 2034, from 250 to 280 jobs.
How many lineman openings a year are there in Idaho?
Idaho projects about 20 openings a year for linemen over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 10,900 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Idaho and metro areas, SOC 49-9051. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Idaho labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.