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Best Value Schools in Idaho

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2023 Best Value Schools in Idaho

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices

9 Schools Ranked
$24,202 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$21,427 Avg Student Debt*

There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Schools in Idaho ranking. This report analyzed 9 schools in Idaho to see which ones offered the best value programs for students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

Top Value Schools in Idaho

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

College of Western Idaho

Nampa, Idaho
2,384 Total Awards
$7,344 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named College of Western Idaho the best value school in Idaho for students working on their degree. Nampa, Idaho is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 2,384 students in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at CWI are $7,344 a year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $15,009 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, CWI graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $38,051 during the early year of their career.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, CWI is ranked #1 for overall quality in Idaho.

Read More…

7,639 Total Awards
$4,416 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Brigham Young University - Idaho helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value schools in Idaho. BYU - I is located in Rexburg, Idaho and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7,639 degrees to qualified students.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BYU - I are $4,416 per year. On average, students take out $15,533 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, BYU - I graduates make an average of $37,650 annually.

BYU - I also took the #2 spot in our Best Schools in Idaho rankings.

Full Brigham Young University - Idaho Report

#3

College of Southern Idaho

Twin Falls, Idaho
1,251 Total Awards
$6,840 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend College of Southern Idaho. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Schools in Idaho list. Twin Falls, Idaho is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 1,251 students in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at College of Southern Idaho are $6,840 per year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,340 in student loans. During the early years of their career, College of Southern Idaho graduates make an average of $38,411 annually.

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#4

North Idaho College

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
1,469 Total Awards
$8,736 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means North Idaho College is a great place for students who want to get the most value for their educational dollar. NIC is a public institution located in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1,469 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NIC are $8,736 per year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $15,134 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, NIC graduates make an average of $35,512 annually.

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#5

Lewis - Clark State College

Lewiston, Idaho
868 Total Awards
$20,238 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 9 schools in Idaho that were part of this year’s ranking, Lewis - Clark State College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Lewiston, Idaho, the small public school handed out 868 degrees in 2020-2021.

Lewis - Clark State College undergraduate students pay an average of $20,238 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,075 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, Lewis - Clark State College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $35,943 during the early year of their career.

Lewis - Clark State College also made our Best Schools in Idaho list, coming in at #4.

Read More…

#6

University of Idaho

Moscow, Idaho
2,566 Total Awards
$27,576 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Idaho did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students. It came in at #6 on the list. This fairly large public school is located in Moscow, Idaho, and it awarded 2,566 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at U of I are $27,576 a year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,511 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $241 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from U of I, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $38,989 during the early years of their career.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, U of I is ranked #5 for overall quality in Idaho.

Read More…

#7

Boise State University

Boise, Idaho
5,898 Total Awards
$24,980 Average Tuition & Fees

Boise State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students. It came in at #7 on the list. Boise State University is a large public school located in Boise, Idaho that handed out 5,898 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Boise State are $24,980 a year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $26,461 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $259, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from Boise State, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $42,749 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

#8

Idaho State University

Pocatello, Idaho
2,831 Total Awards
$25,326 Average Tuition & Fees

Idaho State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Schools in Idaho list. This fairly large public school is located in Pocatello, Idaho, and it awarded 2,831 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at ISU are $25,326 a year. On average, students take out $27,404 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, ISU graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $44,640 during the early year of their career.

Read full report on Idaho State University

609 Total Awards
$34,390 Average Tuition & Fees

Northwest Nazarene University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in Nampa, Idaho, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 609 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at NNU are $34,390 a year. On average, students take out $30,603 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, NNU graduates make an average of $49,029 annually.

NNU also took the #3 spot in our Best Schools in Idaho rankings.

Read full report on Northwest Nazarene University

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 9 schools only.

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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