Idaho Technology Council · 2026
Tech Economy
Report
From Field to Fab
touches technology
all 17 sectors
earnings per job
From the Publishers
From Field to Fab
When the Idaho Technology Council first introduced the Triangle of Innovation™ in 2018, it was a framework — a way of seeing the connections between three regional innovation nodes that most people were treating as separate stories. North Idaho's AI and robotics research, Eastern Idaho's nuclear and clean energy complex, and the Treasure Valley's semiconductor and software ecosystem.
Underneath all of it, the agricultural economy has always been Idaho's foundation. The Idaho Technology Council believes these are not separate stories, they are one.
This report is the first comprehensive, data-backed documentation of that story. The numbers confirm it: one in three Idaho jobs touches technology. The fastest-growing sector is nuclear energy. The highest-paid sector is semiconductor manufacturing.
This is Idaho's story, told in Idaho's own data. From the field to fab — the next chapter is being written right now.
— Diane Temple, President & CEO, Idaho Technology Council
Blake Hansen, Founder & CEO, Alturas
Data Behind Idaho's Tech Economy
Six data stories drawn from Lightcast's Q1 2026 analysis of 315 Idaho industries across all 17 tech and tech-adjacent sectors.
- One in Three Idaho Jobs Touches Technology 06
- Technology Changes What Idaho Pays 07
- Idaho Leads in More Sectors Than You Think 09
- The Fastest Growth Isn't Where You Expect 10
- The Talent Gap Is the Defining Challenge 12
- Technology Evolves 13
- Idaho Deal Flow Report 14
- Cross-Sector Idaho Companies 18
- Idaho Innovation Alliance 22
Data provided by Lightcast, U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and Bureau of Labor Statistics — enriched with job postings, social profiles, and résumé data.
Governor's Remarks
"Idaho has long been defined by hard work, resourcefulness, and a deep connection to the land. Our agricultural heritage remains a cornerstone of who we are. But as this report makes clear, Idaho's story is also one of transformation and forward momentum. More and more jobs are connected to technology, with key sectors growing rapidly and creating new opportunities for Idaho families."
Governor Brad Little
State of Idaho
The Triangle of Innovation™ — Idaho's Framework for Understanding the Tech Economy · Originally documented in Idaho Business Review (2018)
Data Story 1 of 6
One in Three
Idaho Jobs Touches Technology
of Idaho's total workforce works in technology or a tech-adjacent industry
This is not a Boise story.
This is Idaho's economy.
Technology employment is distributed across all 17 sectors and all 44 counties — from the Magic Valley food processors to the Eastern Idaho defense contractors to the Treasure Valley semiconductor campus.
Source: Lightcast Q1 2026 Data Set
Data Story 2 of 6
Technology Changes What Idaho Pays
$238,034
Average Annual Earnings
Semiconductor & Advanced Electronics
Semiconductor workers earn 3.2× the state median. Micron's expansion will add 17,000+ positions at this wage level.
Idaho Wage Ladder
Earnings Per Job · Median HHI $74,600
Idaho Median HHI: U.S. Census 2023 · Source: Lightcast Q1 2026
Industry Spotlight: Micron Technology · $50B Idaho Investment · 17,000+ Jobs · DRAM Production 2027
Data Story 3 of 6
Idaho Leads in More Sectors Than You Think
Lightcast classifies Idaho as a national hotspot when the state employs significantly more workers in a sector than expected for a state of its size.
Idaho is #1 in potato production, top-5 in dairy
Highest-paid sector: $238,034 per job
$152,504 avg earnings per job
Deepest ag tech talent pool in the West
Idaho's outdoor economy driving product innovation
Idaho doesn't just participate. It leads.
These advantages are the result of decades of investment in Idaho's land, research institutions, and manufacturing base.
Data Story 4 of 6
The Fastest Growth Isn't Where You Expect
Nuclear/Energy grew faster than software, AI, and every core technology sector combined — a story the data makes impossible to ignore.
Some of Idaho's fastest-growing sectors are outside the traditional tech.
5-Year Growth — All Sectors
2020–2025 (past) · 2025–2030 (projected)
Source: Lightcast Q1 2026 · Past growth 2020–2025 · Projection 2025–2030
Industry Spotlight: St. Luke's Health System · 19,000+ Employees · $1.17B Campus Renovation · Top 15 U.S. Health Systems
Data Story 5 of 6
The Talent Gap Is the Defining Challenge
Demand is outpacing the pipeline. Idaho must build the workforce it needs.
Why This Is the Defining Challenge
The 6.3:1 gap means Idaho cannot fill its technology jobs from its own graduate pipeline — and the gap is widening. Every unfilled position is a company that cannot grow, a product that cannot ship, a community that cannot attract the next employer.
TechBridge
ITC's flagship workforce development initiative connecting employers and education institutions to real talent pipelines.
AI in Academia Playbook
A practical framework helping Idaho colleges integrate AI tools and curriculum to accelerate graduate readiness.
Idaho Innovation Alliance
A statewide coordinated system to scale innovation, workforce, and technology adoption across all 44 counties.
Data Story 6 of 6
Technology Evolves
It Doesn't Stay in Its Lane
Technology is the force connecting Idaho's entire economy. Every sector is part of one story — 17 distinct sectors, 44 Idaho counties represented.
Core Technology · 6 Sectors
- Semiconductor & Advanced Electronics $238,034
- Data Analytics, AI & Business Intelligence $166,610
- IT Services & Managed Technology $160,383
- Cybersecurity & Information Security $159,634
- Software Development & SaaS $157,999
- Cloud Infrastructure & Connectivity $100,080
Tech-Adjacent · 11 Sectors
- Advanced Manufacturing, Robotics & Automation $152,504
- Defense, Aerospace & National Security $135,817
- Nuclear, Energy & Environmental Technology $118,997
- Financial Technology & InsurTech $107,778
- Construction Technology & Built Environment $102,933
- Agricultural Technology & Precision Farming $80,778
- Food Manufacturing & Processing Technology $76,965
- Transportation, Logistics & Supply Chain $76,011
- Education Technology & Workforce Technology $74,124
- Health Technology & Digital Health $70,730
- Outdoor Recreation & Consumer Tech $59,855
Idaho Deal Flow Report · Published by Alturas Ventures & Built in Idaho
Cross-Sector Idaho Companies
Idaho's Innovation Ecosystem
Idaho companies operating across 17 technology and technology-adjacent sectors — organized by core and adjacent categories.
Core Technology · 6 Sectors
Semiconductor & Advanced Electronics
Software Development & SaaS
Cloud Infrastructure & Connectivity
Data Analytics, AI & Business Intelligence
Cybersecurity & Information Security
IT Services & Managed Technology
Tech-Adjacent · 11 Sectors
Nuclear, Energy & Environmental Technology
Defense, Aerospace & National Security
Advanced Manufacturing, Robotics & Automation
Agricultural Technology & Precision Farming
Health Technology & Digital Health
Food Manufacturing & Processing Technology
Education Technology & Workforce
Idaho Innovation Alliance
A Statewide Framework for Technology, Talent & Economic Growth
Relaunched 2026 — built on the ITC Computing Alliance (2010). Idaho's economy is entering a new phase defined by rapid technological change, evolving workforce demands, and increasing competition for talent, capital, and innovation.
The Idaho Innovation Alliance was created to ensure that across Idaho: innovation translates into economic growth, businesses adopt new technologies effectively, training leads to employment — and every region can participate.
"Idaho does not lack innovation. It lacks a coordinated system to scale it."
Strategic Focus Areas
Early Momentum
- Regional stakeholder groups forming organically
- Industry seeking coordinated engagement
- Education & workforce leaders aligning priorities
- iTECH Summits in Idaho Falls, Twin Falls & CDA
Four Pillars of Impact
Advocacy
A unified voice for technology, workforce, and innovation policy across Idaho
Workforce
Talent pipelines aligned to real Idaho employer demand — from K–12 to graduate
Programming
Shared events and resources amplified across every Idaho region and community
Economic Development
Business growth, entrepreneurship, and technology adoption across all 44 counties
Full Report
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Idaho Technology Council · 2026
Read the Full Designed Report
Download the complete 2026 Idaho Tech Economy Report — including the Triangle of Innovation framework, full data visualizations, regional deal flow breakdowns, and the complete cross-sector company listings.
