2026 Best Value General Studies Schools in Idaho
[General Studies](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/liberal-arts-and-general-studies/general-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general studies education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general studies schools.
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2026 Best Value General Studies Schools in Idaho
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Studies Schools
Leading the list is College Of Southern Idaho, our #1 best value for general studies in Idaho. Set in the city of Twin Falls, College Of Southern Idaho is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,360, compared with $6,840 for out-of-state students. General Studies graduates carry a median of $8,603 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general studies degree recipients from College Of Southern Idaho generally make around $39,099. That is a strong return on a $8,603 median debt.
Brigham Young University Idaho is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Rexburg, Brigham Young University Idaho is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $4,800 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general studies graduates is $9,289. Early-career general studies graduates make about $25,104. That is a strong return on a $9,289 median debt. Brigham Young University Idaho admits about 96% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general studies will find it at North Idaho College, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Coeur d'Alene, North Idaho College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,396, with out-of-state students paying around $8,736. General Studies graduates carry a median of $10,114 in student loans. General Studies graduates of North Idaho College earn a median of $27,940 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,114 median debt.
University Of Idaho is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,084 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,320. Typical student debt for general studies graduates is $26,209. Soon after graduation, general studies degree recipients from University Of Idaho generally make around $33,620. That is a strong return on a $26,209 median debt. University Of Idaho admits about 76% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Idaho State University one of the best values for general studies. Set in the city of Pocatello, Idaho State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,610, compared with $27,720 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general studies graduates is $26,966. General Studies graduates of Idaho State University earn a median of $29,433 early in their careers. Set against $26,966 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Northwest Nazarene University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value general studies schools. Set in the suburb of Nampa, Northwest Nazarene University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $40,824 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general studies program here. Early-career general studies graduates make about $25,923. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
