How Much More Do You Make Than Minimum Wage in Idaho?

We all remember getting our first job and how excited we were to get our first check. Getting an allowance is nice, but there is something about receiving that first check after working your first couple of weeks at a job. The feeling is different. The anticipation of your first payday is exciting, and then you get the check only to be disappointed. What should be a $400 check is more like a $220 check. Or maybe even lower than that. Taxes ruin a check, but also, what you make an hour dictates how big your check is as well. Many of us start out making minimum wage at our first jobs, and the hope is to get more as we gain more experience. What is the minimum wage in Idaho in 2025, and how much more do you make than it, if any?

What is the Minimum Wage in Idaho?

Each state has a different minimum wage, with some states having a high one, and others having one in single digits. Idaho follows the federal minimum wage, which sadly hasn't changed since 2009. The current minimum wage in Idaho is $7.25, which in 2025 seems extremely low. Idaho is not the only state that follows the federal wage though, as 20 states in total do as well. This is enough to start making some money, but for most places this is not enough to live alone or be able to make a living. With no change coming to the minimum wage in the Gem State in 16 years, is it time to raise it again, and if so how much? 

Raising Minimum Wage in Idaho

There are ways for companies to pay employees below minimum wage, which seems absurd considering how low it already is, but it is legally possible. Companies can pay someone a fee of only $4.25 per hour during a 90-day training period and can pay high school students and college students a wage of $6.16 per hour at certain jobs, as long as they work under 20 hours. The bad news is that there is no bill currently in place to raise the minimum wage in Idaho, meaning there is little hope of changing anytime soon, but when states like California have a minimum wage of $16.50 currently, should Idaho increase their wage? In Idaho, that is what some full-time employees make and make a living off of. The problem with raising the minimum wage is that everything else goes up in cost as well, making for more expensive living. If the wage were to go up, what would be a good amount in Idaho? Would $10 be enough to satisfy, or would it need to be more? 

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If you are making minimum wage, keep working hard, and eventually, you may get a raise, or perhaps look for a job that offers more. While the minimum wage in Idaho is $7.25, that isn't the lowest that every company offers. Some places will start their employees at $15 an hour or more nationwide. Find a job like this, and you will be making good money in Idaho. For now, we wait to see if and when the minimum wage will finally rise.