2026 Best Value Political Science Schools in Idaho
[Political Science](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/political-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong political science education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value political science schools.
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2026 Best Value Political Science Schools in Idaho
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in political science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Political Science Schools
Brigham Young University Idaho tops our 2026 list of the best value political science schools in Idaho. Located in the town of Rexburg, Brigham Young University Idaho is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,800. Students borrow a median of $16,551 to complete the political science program here. Early-career political science graduates make about $32,983. That is a strong return on a $16,551 median debt. Brigham Young University Idaho admits about 96% of applicants.
College Of Western Idaho is a great value for students pursuing a degree in political science, landing the #2 spot this year. College Of Western Idaho is a very large public school located in the rural area of Nampa. In-state tuition and fees average $3,446, while out-of-state students pay about $7,454. Political Science graduates carry a median of $12,497 in student loans. Political Science graduates of College Of Western Idaho earn a median of $40,963 early in their careers.
University Of Idaho came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value political science schools. Located in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,084, compared with $28,320 for out-of-state students. Political Science graduates carry a median of $21,643 in student loans. Early-career political science graduates make about $27,881. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Idaho admits about 76% of applicants.
Idaho State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in political science, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Pocatello, Idaho State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,610, with out-of-state students paying around $27,720. Typical student debt for political science graduates is $31,000. Early-career political science graduates make about $40,988. That is a strong return on a $31,000 median debt.
Boise State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in political science, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Boise, Boise State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,048 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,788. Typical student debt for political science graduates is $21,500. Early-career political science graduates make about $32,650. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
