Janitorial Wages in Idaho

Statewide median janitorial wages in Idaho run $17.00/hr, nearly $10 above the state's $7.25 federal-floor minimum. The gap is the widest in the region. BLS OEWS May 2025 data shows mean hourly wages at $17.20, placing Idaho near the national median despite minimal statutory protections, with annual growth rates near 6.5% driven by Boise's tech-sector and logistics expansion.

What employers should plan for

• Floor: $7.25/hr federal (Idaho Code §44-1502 adopts the federal minimum by reference and has not been independently increased). Despite the low legal floor, market wages have moved well ahead of it — cleaners in Boise and Coeur d'Alene regularly command $16–$18/hr.
• Local floors: No Idaho city or county has enacted a local minimum wage. Boise's city council has discussed a living wage for city contractors but has not enacted a generally applicable ordinance.
• Loaded labor rate: Commercial cleaning bids in Idaho run approximately $26–$33/hr total loaded cost (base wage + modest WC costs + payroll taxes + benefits). Idaho's workers' comp costs are moderate.
• Workers' comp class 9014 — Idaho State Insurance Fund (state-run WC program); estimated effective rate approximately $2.00–$2.80/$100 payroll for commercial janitorial operations.

High-wage metros vs. low-wage metros

Coeur d'Alene MSA slightly leads the state at median $17.35/hr (90th: $22.68/hr), driven by proximity to Spokane (WA) labor market influences and strong regional growth. Boise City MSA comes in nearly identical at median $17.22/hr (25th: $14.48, 75th: $18.26) — the dominant market given its size. At the low end, Idaho Falls MSA sits at $16.48/hr median and the Logan UT-ID MSA (Idaho portion) is notably lower at $14.38/hr, reflecting the rural Cache County/Preston area's lower wage environment.

Wage percentile distribution (BLS OEWS 2024)

• 10th percentile: $12.37/hr
• 25th percentile: $14.32/hr
• Median (50th): $17.00/hr
• 75th percentile: $18.23/hr
• 90th percentile: $21.83/hr

The compression between 25th and 75th ($3.91/hr) versus the large drop from 25th to 10th ($1.95/hr) reflects a market where the majority of commercial cleaners earn in a tight band, with a lower tier of part-time workers. The relatively low 90th percentile ($21.83/hr) compared to coastal states reflects the absence of union premium contracts.

Union presence

Idaho is a right-to-work state with private-sector union density approximately 5–6%. SEIU 32BJ has no commercial cleaning presence in Idaho. Some public facility custodians at Boise State University and state agencies are covered by AFSCME agreements. The private commercial cleaning market in Idaho is entirely non-union; wages are purely market-driven.

What this means for bid math

Idaho's $17.00/hr median wage, combined with modest workers' comp rates and no union premium obligations, creates a favorable cost structure for commercial cleaning operations. Total loaded labor runs approximately $26–$30/hr (1.55–1.75× base). Boise-area contracts should budget $17–$18/hr as the competitive base rate; Idaho Falls and rural markets can price slightly lower at $16–$17.36/hr. Given the rapid wage growth trajectory (+6.5%/year), multi-year contracts should include annual labor cost escalation provisions of at least 4–6%.

Primary sources

• BLS OEWS May 2025 — Idaho
• O*NET Local Wages — Idaho (BLS 2024 data)
• Idaho Department of Labor — OEWS Data Tools
• DOL WHD State Minimum Wage Laws