Regional hourly wage reports released

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - The average hourly worker in Idaho Falls regional worker earned an hourly wage (mean) of $22.42 in May of 2019.   The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that was about 13% less than the nationwide average of $25.72.

Among individual occupations, retail sales persons were the most common job in the area with 2,740 workers. Office and administrative support held 13.5% of the region’s 67,040 total jobs.

The average Pocatello regional worker earned an hourly wage (mean) of $20.36, about 21% below the national average.

Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Richard Holden said Idaho Falls wages were higher than national average in only one of 22 major occupational groups; architecture and engineering.  Fifteen groups had significantly lower wages than their respective national averages, including management, legal, educational instruction, and library workers.

The bureau’s research showed Idaho Falls area employment was highly concentrated in 6 of the 22 groups; architecture and engineering, life, physical and social science, and construction and extraction.

Pocatello area employment was highly concentrated in 4 of the 22 groups; education, instruction and library, and healthcare support.