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Full-Time Jobs in Idaho Falls: Top Industries, Pay Rates, and Where to Apply

Idaho Falls has a strong and growing market for full-time jobs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in the Idaho Falls metropolitan area had an average hourly wage of $28.05 in May 2024. Regional job postings increased 22% year-over-year as of April 2025, according to the Idaho Department of Labor. Whether you are just entering the workforce or making a career change, there are real opportunities here worth knowing about.

The top industries hiring for full-time jobs in Idaho Falls are healthcare, nuclear energy and engineering, retail and customer service, education, and transportation and logistics. Each of these sectors is covered in detail below, along with salary ranges, the biggest employers, and tips for landing a role in this market.

Full-Time Jobs in Idaho Falls: What the Market Looks Like Right Now

Idaho Falls is the largest city in eastern Idaho, with an economy built around nuclear energy research, healthcare, and an active retail corridor. It is not a boom-and-bust economy. The presence of long-established anchor employers keeps the job market steady even when national hiring slows.

According to the Idaho Department of Labor, there were approximately 2,998 deduplicated job postings in the eastern Idaho region in April 2025, up 22% from the same period in 2024. As of early 2026, more than 3,500 jobs were listed on Indeed alone for Idaho Falls. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the region sat at 3.4% in April 2025. 

For job seekers, that combination of low unemployment and growing posting volume means employers are competing for workers, not the other way around. That gives you leverage.

What Are the Highest-Paying Full-Time Jobs in Idaho Falls?

Not all full-time work pays the same, and knowing where the pay ceiling is helps you target your search more strategically.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report for the Idaho Falls metro area (May 2024), the highest-paying occupational groups are computer and mathematical occupations at $55.32 per hour, architecture and engineering at $51.85 per hour, and management at $49.68 per hour.

On the lower end, food preparation and service roles average $14.56 per hour, and personal care positions average $15.58 per hour.

The overall average hourly wage in Idaho Falls was $28.05 in May 2024, compared to the national average of $32.66 for the same period. Idaho’s lower cost of living partly offsets that gap. Housing, groceries, and transportation in Idaho Falls tend to cost noticeably less than in comparable mid-sized cities in California, Colorado, or Washington.

For workers without a degree, ZipRecruiter data from April 2026 shows the average hourly pay for full-time roles in Idaho Falls at $16.81, with most workers earning between $14.76 and $18.22 depending on experience and employer.

Top Industries for Full-Time Jobs in Idaho Falls

Healthcare

Healthcare is one of the most active hiring sectors in Idaho Falls. Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC) employs 1,400 people with 330 licensed beds and averages 43,000 emergency room visits per year. Mountain View Hospital, a physician-owned facility, rounds out the local medical landscape. Both facilities regularly post openings for registered nurses, medical assistants, schedulers, administrative staff, and support roles.

According to the Idaho Department of Labor, hiring demand for registered nurses decreased 9% in April 2025 compared to the prior month, which may signal a temporary slowdown rather than a longer trend. Healthcare support roles are still abundant and represent a solid entry point for workers building toward clinical careers.

Nuclear Energy and Engineering

Wide view of a manufacturing facility illustrating full-time jobs in Idaho Falls

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is one of the most significant employers in the entire state. The lab employs around 6,400 people on an 890-square-mile complex between Idaho Falls and Arco, with a mission centered on nuclear energy research. INL regularly hires engineers, scientists, project managers, security professionals, and administrative staff. Architecture and engineering roles in the Idaho Falls area average $51.85 per hour.

For job seekers with STEM backgrounds or federal contracting experience, INL is worth monitoring closely. The federal hiring process moves more slowly than private sector hiring, but the pay, benefits, and job stability are strong.

Retail and Customer Service

Office and administrative support is the largest occupational group in Idaho Falls by share of employment, representing 12.8% of all local jobs, compared to an 11.8% national share. Sales and related occupations account for another 8.2%. Major retail employers with active Idaho Falls operations include Walmart, Costco, WinCo Foods, and Target.

Melaleuca Inc., a wellness product company headquartered in Idaho Falls, is one of the region’s most recognizable local employers. The company regularly hires for customer service, operations, and distribution roles. Employer hiring demand for customer service representatives increased 27% in April 2025 compared to the prior month.

Education

Hiring demand in educational services increased 18% in April 2025, according to the Idaho Department of Labor. The Bonneville Joint School District is one of the area’s steady employers in this space, with postings for teachers, administrative assistants, and support staff. Charter schools in the region also post regularly.

Secondary school teachers were identified as one of the hardest-to-fill occupations in eastern Idaho, which signals real opportunity for qualified and credentialed candidates in that field.

Transportation and Logistics

Transportation and material moving occupations are the second-largest employment group in Idaho Falls, representing 8.7% of local jobs. FedEx, delivery companies, and logistics providers all operate in the region. The Idaho Department of Labor identified heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers as one of the hardest-to-fill occupations in the region, which often signals better pay and more negotiating room for qualified candidates.

Who Are the Biggest Employers of Full-Time Workers in Idaho Falls?

Knowing the major employers before you start your search saves time and helps you tailor your resume.

The largest and most consistently hiring employers in Idaho Falls include:

  1. Idaho National Laboratory (INL): Federal nuclear research lab, 6,400+ employees, strong engineering and technical roles.
  2. Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC): 1,400 employees, a broad range of clinical and administrative positions.
  3. Melaleuca Inc.: Idaho Falls-based wellness company, known for customer service and operations hiring.
  4. Bonneville Joint School District: Consistent education and support staff hiring across multiple schools.
  5. City of Idaho Falls: Government employer offering PERSI retirement benefits and competitive packages.
  6. Mountain View Hospital: Physician-owned hospital hiring for clinical, diagnostic, and administrative roles.
  7. Walmart, Costco, WinCo Foods: High-volume retail employers with full-time openings and advancement paths.

The City of Idaho Falls offers all eligible employees a competitive benefits package that includes PERSI, Idaho’s state retirement plan. PERSI is a defined benefit plan that provides guaranteed retirement income based on salary, age, and tenure.

How to Find Full-Time Jobs in Idaho Falls

The most effective approach is to use a combination of local job boards, national platforms filtered to Idaho Falls, and direct applications to major employers.

A practical approach:

  1. Start with a local job board. Hire Local focuses specifically on the Idaho Falls and eastern Idaho market. You see fewer out-of-region listings, which means less noise.
  2. Check major platforms with location filters. Indeed, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter all have strong listings for Idaho Falls. Use “Idaho Falls, ID” and filter by full-time to get relevant results fast.
  3. Apply directly to anchor employers. INL, EIRMC, Melaleuca, and the City of Idaho Falls all maintain their own careers pages. These are often updated before listings hit third-party boards.
  4. Watch for industries with growing demand. According to the Idaho Department of Labor, customer service representative postings grew 27%, retail trade postings grew 19%, and educational services postings grew 18% in April 2025 compared to the prior month.

In practice, the fastest job seekers in this market are the ones who apply early. Postings for high-demand roles in healthcare and engineering move quickly. If a listing has been up for two weeks or more, it is likely either very competitive or already in the process of being filled.

What Benefits Can You Expect from Full-Time Employers in Idaho Falls?

Full-time employment is generally defined as working 35 to 40 hours per week, though there is no single universal federal standard. Healthcare coverage is standard at most full-time positions, including medical, dental, and vision. Paid time off and holiday pay are common across retail, healthcare, and government employers.

Retirement plans vary. Government positions through the City of Idaho Falls and state agencies come with PERSI, a defined benefit pension plan. Private sector employers typically offer 401(k) matching. INL and federal positions also include life insurance, disability coverage, and education assistance. Walmart offers a tuition assistance program for full-time and part-time associates that covers education costs.

The most reliable way to evaluate a benefits package before accepting an offer is to ask for a written summary, compare it to other employers in the same sector, and factor total compensation rather than just the hourly rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Full-time employment is generally defined as working 35 to 40 hours per week. The Affordable Care Act defines full-time as at least 30 hours per week for purposes of health benefit eligibility, while the H-1B Visa Program defines full-time as 40 hours per week, normally, and in no case fewer than 35 hours per week. Most employers in Idaho Falls use 40 hours per week as their standard.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly wage across all occupations in the Idaho Falls metro area was $28.05 in May 2024. ZipRecruiter data from April 2026 puts the average for general full-time roles at $16.81 per hour, with most workers earning between $14.76 and $18.22. Higher-skilled roles in engineering and computing average over $50 per hour.

The top industries for full-time employment in Idaho Falls are healthcare, nuclear energy and engineering, retail and customer service, education, and transportation and logistics. Healthcare and engineering offer the highest pay, while retail and customer service roles provide the highest volume of open positions.

The largest full-time employers in Idaho Falls include Idaho National Laboratory, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Melaleuca Inc., the Bonneville Joint School District, the City of Idaho Falls, Mountain View Hospital, Walmart, Costco, and WinCo Foods.

Yes. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.4% in April 2025, and job postings in eastern Idaho increased 22% year-over-year as of the same month. Idaho Falls is one of the cities driving much of the state’s job expansion, supported by manufacturing, healthcare, and other growing industries.

 Use a local job board like Hire Local, which focuses specifically on the Idaho Falls and eastern Idaho area. You can also apply directly through the career’s pages of major employers like Idaho National Laboratory, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, and the City of Idaho Falls, where postings often appear before they reach national platforms.

Yes. Many of the highest-volume employers in Idaho Falls, including Walmart, Costco, FedEx, and WinCo Foods, regularly hire full-time workers without requiring a degree. Skilled trades, logistics, customer service, and some healthcare support roles are accessible with a high school diploma or equivalent. The median wage for full-time roles in Idaho Falls is approximately $15.62 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter data.

Conclusion


Idaho Falls full-time jobs are genuinely available across a range of industries and skill levels. The market is healthy, posting volume is up, and major employers, including Idaho National Laboratory, EIRMC, and Melaleuca, are consistently looking for workers.

Three things to keep in mind: the highest-paying roles are in engineering, computing, and management; healthcare and retail represent the broadest volume of openings; and job seekers who apply through local platforms and directly to employer careers pages tend to move faster through the process.


Ready to find your next full-time role in Idaho Falls? Browse current local listings on HIRE LOCAL and apply directly to employers in your field today.