🏆 2026 Job Rankings

Highest-Paying Tech Jobs in Boise City, ID (2026)

If you are comparing highest-paying tech jobs in Boise City, ID, this guide uses Careerclev salary benchmarks built from the latest official BLS wage baseline to focus on technology-heavy roles in the Boise City, ID metro area. It is designed to show where the strongest projected tech pay sits, how quickly compensation falls after the leader, and which roles still have enough hiring depth to matter.

From the current ranking, Computer and Information Research Scientist leads at $178,809/year, while Software Developer stands out for employment depth at about 2,820 workers. That contrast helps you weigh pure pay against the size of the hiring market.

📅 Updated April 2026📊 Modeled salary benchmarks🇺🇸 Boise City, ID · 12 jobs ranked⏱ 12 min read
1
Computer and Information Research Scientist
$179K est.
2
Computer and Information Systems Manager
$167K est.
3
Database Architect
$159K est.
4
Computer Hardware Engineer
$145K est.
5
Information Security Analyst
$140K est.
#1 Job
Computer and Information Research Scientist
$179K
Jobs Ranked
12
top roles
Data Layer
Metro
Careerclev salary model
Top Employment
N/A
employment estimate
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Highest-Paying Tech Jobs in Boise City, ID: Full Ranking

If you're targeting high-paying jobs in Boise City, ID, Computer and Information Research Scientist sits at the top of this 12-job ranking at $178,809 per year in Careerclev's current salary model. From there, the second spot belongs to Computer and Information Systems Manager at $167,118, which helps show whether the pay curve drops quickly or stays fairly tight after the leader. On entry-level pages, Careerclev uses lower wage percentiles as a transparent proxy for starting pay, because the public source data does not offer a clean entry-level field for every role.

1
SOC 15-1221 · Technology · N/A employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
100% benchmark
$178,809
official baseline $179K
2
SOC 11-3021 · Management · 930 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
vs #1
$167,118
official baseline $167K
3
SOC 15-1243 · Technology · 170 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
vs #1
$159,451
official baseline $159K
4
SOC 17-2061 · Engineering · N/A employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
vs #1
$145,044
official baseline $145K
5
SOC 15-1212 · Technology · 360 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
vs #1
$139,861
official baseline $140K
6
SOC 15-1252 · Technology · 2,820 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
vs #1
$120,133
official baseline $120K
7
SOC 15-1241 · Technology · 710 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
vs #1
$115,338
official baseline $115K
8
SOC 15-1299 · Technology · 840 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
vs #1
$118,469
official baseline $118K
9
SOC 15-2051 · Technology · 590 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
vs #1
$114,829
official baseline $115K
10
SOC 15-1244 · Technology · 460 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
vs #1
$98,737.0
official baseline $98.7K
11
SOC 15-1254 · Technology · 110 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
vs #1
$99,335.0
official baseline $99.3K
12
SOC 15-1211 · Technology · 1,070 employed
High payData year 2024Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
vs #1
$86,220.0
official baseline $86.2K

What Computer and Information Research Scientist Does

Before the pay ranking means much, it helps to understand the work itself. Computer and Information Research Scientist sits at the top of this guide because it combines strong pay with the work profile described below.

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

Computer and Information Research Scientist Salary Trend

Computer and Information Research Scientist leads this ranking on current pay, but the national salary trend helps show whether that pay ceiling is being reinforced by steady wage growth over time.

Careerclev's current 2026 estimate applies an annual modeled growth rate of -1.5% from the last confirmed BLS benchmark year, using wage history and employment outlook where available.

2026·$132KEstimated
$127K
2020
$131K
2021
$137K
2022
$145K
2023
$136K
2024
$134K
2025*
$132K
2026*
Official Data
May 2024 BLS
20202026 trend (est.)
3.9%
Forecast method
Trend + outlook model

* 2024–2026 values are modeled estimates extending from the last confirmed BLS benchmark. The last confirmed BLS figure ($136K, 2024) is extended with recent wage trend history, employment outlook, and tech-market signals where available, then replaced when official data is published.

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Highest-Paying Jobs by Category

High pay in Boise City, ID is not concentrated in a single career path. The leading roles span Technology, Management, Engineering . That mix helps show whether the local labor market rewards specialist clinical work, technical depth, executive management, or a broader spread of roles. Each row below shows the top-paying role within that actual SOC category rather than an assumed one.

CategoryTop JobSalaryEmploymentPrep Signal
TechnologyComputer and Information Research Scientist$178,809N/AJob Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
ManagementComputer and Information Systems Manager$167,118930Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
EngineeringComputer Hardware Engineer$145,044N/AJob Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Entry-Level Pay Signals

A high median salary only tells half the story. What matters for career planning is where starting pay actually lands. Because BLS does not publish a clean entry-level label for every role, Careerclev uses lower wage percentiles as a transparent proxy. Computer and Information Research Scientist shows an estimated early-career pay signal of $130,902, compared with a long-run median of $178,809. In turn, that gap gives a better feel for both long-run upside and how quickly a role starts rewarding experience.

JobEntry ProxyMedian SalaryPrep PathTypical Education
Computer and Information Research Scientist$130,902$178,809Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Computer and Information Systems Manager$115,218$167,118Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Database Architect$96,566.0$159,451Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Computer Hardware Engineer$111,086$145,044Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Information Security Analyst$94,628.0$139,861Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Software Developer$88,170.0$120,133Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Computer Network Architect$81,154.0$115,338Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation NeededMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Web Administrator$89,314.0$118,469Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation NeededMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Jobs With Strong Demand

Pay ceilings matter more when the local labor market is deep enough to generate real openings. In Boise City, ID, Software Developer combines a salary of $120,133 with roughly 2,820 employed workers, which makes it one of the more accessible high-pay options on this list. By contrast, some specialties rank higher on salary but operate as narrower niches where openings are harder to find and entry paths are longer.

Very Deep Market
Software Developer
$120,133
2,820 employed
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. in a job zone four: considerable preparation needed pathway.
Very Deep Market
Computer Systems Analyst
$86,220.0
1,070 employed
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training. in a job zone five: extensive preparation needed pathway.
Strong Market
Computer and Information Systems Manager
$167,118
930 employed
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. in a job zone four: considerable preparation needed pathway.
Strong Market
Web Administrator
$118,469
840 employed
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. in a job zone four: considerable preparation needed pathway.
Strong Market
Computer Network Architect
$115,338
710 employed
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. in a job zone three: medium preparation needed pathway.
Strong Market
Data Scientist
$114,829
590 employed
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. in a job zone four: considerable preparation needed pathway.

Salary vs Employment

The highest-paying job is not always the largest market, and that distinction changes the practical calculus. Computer and Information Research Scientist leads on salary at $178,809, while Software Developer supports roughly 2,820 workers locally, a useful sanity check before committing to a long training path for a role with limited local openings.

Computer and Information Research ScientistSOC 15-1221
$179K
N/A
Computer and Information Systems ManagerSOC 11-3021
$167K
930
Database ArchitectSOC 15-1243
$159K
170
Computer Hardware EngineerSOC 17-2061
$145K
N/A
Information Security AnalystSOC 15-1212
$140K
360
Software DeveloperSOC 15-1252
$120K
2,820
Computer Network ArchitectSOC 15-1241
$115K
710
Web AdministratorSOC 15-1299
$118K
840

How to Choose a High-Paying Job Strategically

Salary rankings are a starting point, not a decision. In Boise City, ID, the gap between Computer and Information Research Scientist at $178,809 and the early-pay signal from Computer and Information Research Scientist at $130,902 shows why access, market size, and training timelines belong in the same conversation as the headline number. That is where this page becomes more useful than a simple ranking list.

1
Match salary to access realistically
A high median means little if there are only a handful of openings per year. Check the employment estimate alongside the salary. A role with 2,820 workers in Boise City, ID is fundamentally easier to enter than one with a few hundred.
2
Factor in education and licensure timelines
Some of the highest-paying roles on this list sit in prep bands such as Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed and often pair that with expectations like most of these occupations require graduate school. for example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a ph.d., m.d., or j.d. (law degree).. Build that timeline into your planning before targeting the salary ceiling.
3
Separate entry pay from long-run upside
The entry proxy column in this guide gives you an early-career anchor. A role that starts at $130,902 and scales to $178,809 offers a very different career arc than one that starts and peaks near the same figure.
4
Check the work before chasing the pay
Compare the day-to-day work with the training path before you commit. A role can rank highly on pay and still be a poor fit if the work itself does not match the kind of problems, environment, or responsibilities you want.
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Next Pages to Read

High-pay rankings are most useful when you read them alongside the core salary guide, the career entry path, and a few nearby role comparisons. That turns this page from a ranking into a better decision route for computer and information research scientist.

FAQs

These questions cover the practical parts of the ranking: how entry pay is estimated, why wage fields sometimes differ by source, and how to compare the top salary with the real size of the job market.

What is the highest-paying job in Boise City, ID?
Computer and Information Research Scientist is currently the highest-paying role in this ranking at $178,809 per year in Careerclev's current salary model, built from the latest available BLS OEWS wage baseline for Boise City, ID.
Is the entry-level pay data directly from BLS?
Not exactly. BLS publishes wage percentiles rather than experience-level labels, so Careerclev uses the 25th percentile (or the low-end wage where available) as an entry-pay proxy. It is a transparent approximation, not a direct label.
Is Boise City, ID a good market for Computer and Information Research Scientist?
Boise City, ID is a strong metro market for Computer and Information Research Scientist. BLS data shows an employment estimate of N/A workers locally, with a median salary of $178,809. A deeper employment count generally points to more active hiring, which improves access alongside the pay ceiling.
How much preparation does Computer and Information Research Scientist usually require?
Computer and Information Research Scientist is currently tagged as job zone five: extensive preparation needed in the O*NET prep model. The most common education signal is most of these occupations require graduate school. for example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a ph.d., m.d., or j.d. (law degree)., while the training path is described as employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training..
Does the top-paying job also have the most openings?
Not always. Software Developer may support a deeper employment market than the #1 salary role, which can make it more practical for job seekers despite a lower pay ceiling.
How should I compare salary with accessibility?
Use the ranking salary, entry-pay proxy, employment estimate, and preparation path together. The best target is usually the role that balances strong pay with a realistic path in.
Can a lower-ranked job be a better target than Computer and Information Research Scientist?
Yes. A lower-ranked role can be the better choice if it has a shorter prep path, stronger entry pay, more openings, or a work profile that fits you better than Computer and Information Research Scientist.
Why do some high-paying roles look hard to enter?
Many top-paying roles sit behind longer training, licensing, or related-experience requirements. That is why Careerclev shows preparation signals next to salary instead of treating all high-paying jobs as equally accessible.
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Data Sources & MethodologyRankings use Careerclev salary facts built from BLS OEWS wage data and extended through Careerclev's current salary projection model where applicable. National pages use U.S. aggregate data, state pages use state-level data, and city pages use the BLS metro dataset behind the largest-city public label. Category labels are derived from BLS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) major group codes, while prep-path notes come from imported O*NET job-zone and career requirement data where available.
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