The 20 best paying jobs in Idaho for 2023 revealed in Boise

They say money can’t buy happiness, but when you work long hours and rarely hear a “thank you” or a “you’re doing a good job,” seeing a healthy balance in your bank account can definitely motivate you to wake up. And going to work is a little easier.

However, GoBankingRates tried to determine how much money you need to make in Idaho to be happy. In order to find this number, they looked to a study conducted by Purdue University. That study looked at how much money someone would need to reach their ideal “life assessment.” These are the thoughts you have about your life when you think about it. They also took into account “emotional well-being,” or the daily emotional experiences you have. Nationally, they found that number to be as high as $105,000. Good.

But in Idaho? There is some good news. When GoBanking Rates adjusted the number based on each state’s cost of living index, Idaho’s number was lower than the national average. They say that to be happy in Idaho, you need to make $103,845. Not only is this lower than the national average, it is down $3,360 from 2022.

So how realistic is making that much money in Boise? According to the latest statistics from the Idaho Department of Labor, there are about 31 job fields with an average salary that matches or exceeds this number. This means seven more options than a year ago.

Boise’s average wage is $52,935. That’s $5,699 less than what GoBankingRates considers a livable wage in Idaho where you can cover your expenses, but still have enough to move toward savings as well.

So what career fields fulfill enough to be “happy”? According to the latest set of updates on the Idaho Department of Labor website, these are the 20 highest paying jobs in the Boise area. Some areas didn’t make the top 20 last year. We noticed none!