Fastest-growing jobs in Idaho
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in Idaho. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Idaho.
#50. Receptionists and information clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.8% (840 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,400
--- Employment in 2022: 6,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,090
#49. Waiters and waitresses
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.2% (1,420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 12,210
--- Employment in 2022: 10,790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,710
#48. Management analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.3% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,820
--- Employment in 2022: 2,490
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $74,790
#47. Social and community service managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.5% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,010
--- Employment in 2022: 890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $68,640
#46. Medical assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.7% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,660
--- Employment in 2022: 4,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,670
#45. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.8% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,150
--- Employment in 2022: 1,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,560
#44. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.2% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,950
--- Employment in 2022: 3,460
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,820
#43. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.7% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,720
--- Employment in 2022: 1,500
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,190
#42. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.9% (1,170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,020
--- Employment in 2022: 7,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,950
#41. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.1% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,450
--- Employment in 2022: 1,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,810
#40. Firefighters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.4% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,020
--- Employment in 2022: 1,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,240
#39. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.5% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,160
--- Employment in 2022: 1,870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,170
#38. Real estate sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.6% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,260
--- Employment in 2022: 1,090
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,520
#37. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.1% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,880
--- Employment in 2022: 2,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,840
#36. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.4% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,960
--- Employment in 2022: 1,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,180
#34. Correctional officers and jailers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.6% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,800
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,400
#34. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.6% (660 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,400
--- Employment in 2022: 3,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,750
#33. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.7% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,330
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,920
#32. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.8% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,380
--- Employment in 2022: 2,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $55,610
#31. Billing and posting clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.9% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,630
--- Employment in 2022: 2,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,490
#30. Instructional coordinators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.2% (180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,340
#29. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.5% (1,090 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,970
--- Employment in 2022: 5,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,500
#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.7% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,360
--- Employment in 2022: 2,830
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,190
#27. Accountants and auditors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.9% (1,060 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,380
--- Employment in 2022: 5,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,610
#26. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.3% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,730
--- Employment in 2022: 3,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,360
#25. Cost estimators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.5% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,470
--- Employment in 2022: 1,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $70,660
#24. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.6% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,110
--- Employment in 2022: 1,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,110
#23. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.9% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,620
--- Employment in 2022: 2,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,040
#22. Parts salespersons
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.2% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,870
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,310
#21. Psychiatric technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.7% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,200
--- Employment in 2022: 940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,400
#20. Construction laborers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.0% (2,100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,590
--- Employment in 2022: 7,490
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,620
#19. Industrial engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.3% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,770
--- Employment in 2022: 1,380
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $105,760
#18. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.1% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,530
#17. Social and human service assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.4% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,420
--- Employment in 2022: 1,870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,930
#16. General and operations managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.0% (7,680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 32,470
--- Employment in 2022: 24,790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $70,490
#15. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.5% (4,230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 17,640
--- Employment in 2022: 13,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,150
#14. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.7% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,500
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,940
#13. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.8% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,660
--- Employment in 2022: 1,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,760
#12. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.2% (1,500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,760
--- Employment in 2022: 4,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,770
#11. Computer occupations, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.7% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,210
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $98,390
#10. Driver/sales workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.5% (970 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,310
--- Employment in 2022: 2,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,540
#9. Highway maintenance workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.9% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,540
--- Employment in 2022: 1,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,340
#8. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.3% (660 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,150
--- Employment in 2022: 1,490
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,590
#7. Self-enrichment teachers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.0% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,880
--- Employment in 2022: 1,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,330
#6. Architectural and civil drafters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +52.6% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,190
--- Employment in 2022: 780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,450
#5. Marketing managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +57.5% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,260
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $108,820
#4. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +61.2% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,220
#3. Helpers--production workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +75.0% (810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,890
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,200
#2. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +83.8% (1,970 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,320
--- Employment in 2022: 2,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,510
#1. Engineers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +250.0% (750 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
