In 2023, the median state and local government worker in Idaho earned $29.06 an hour against $27.13 in the private sector, a gap of +7%. At the 90th percentile the government wage was $55.46 against $60.75 privately (-9%). Both figures are real hourly wages from the same-state ACS sample, unadjusted for education and experience.
The gap is widest in Admin and clerical (+5%), and government pay holds up best in Admin and clerical (+5%). That is the national pattern too: a high floor, a low ceiling.
Public vs private pay in Idaho by occupation, 2023
| Occupation domain | Government median $/hr | Private median $/hr | Gap at median | Government 90th pct | Private 90th pct | Gap at 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All occupations | $29.06 | $27.13 | +7% | $55.46 | $60.75 | -9% |
| Admin and clerical | $22.58 | $21.49 | +5% | $35.23 | $40.29 | -13% |
| Education * | $26.86 | $26.66 | +1% | $42.98 | $54.48 | -21% |
| Engineering * | $53.72 | $47.28 | +14% | $77.65 | $82.65 | -6% |
| Finance * | $31.73 | $40.29 | -21% | $49.59 | $74.49 | -33% |
| Healthcare * | $41.12 | $42.98 | -4% | $73.23 | $100.15 | -27% |
| Legal * | $41.06 | $30.49 | +35% | $78.79 | $110.30 | -29% |
| Management * | $36.56 | $37.07 | -1% | $58.02 | $85.43 | -32% |
| Protective service * | $34.92 | $21.03 | +66% | $61.98 | $29.30 | +112% |
| Skilled trades * | $28.66 | $27.94 | +3% | $51.98 | $47.67 | +9% |
| Software and IT * | $36.94 | $45.75 | -19% | $64.47 | $97.87 | -34% |
How to read this
Raw medians compare different people: government employs more teachers, nurses, and degree-holders than the private sector does. The parent piece adjusts for education and experience nationally (federal pay 7% above comparable private workers, state pay 17% below, local pay 17% below) and shows the gap opening at the top of the ladder, where private pay in software, law, finance, and engineering has pulled away. This state table is the unadjusted view; the methodology appendix explains both.