When pursuing a college degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Top Idaho Colleges for a Bachelor's ranking - to help you make that decision.
We analyzed 6 colleges and universities across Idaho to determine which ones have the best bachelor's degree programs. Our ranking for the best schools is based on objective factors. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another. The following gives more info on what goes into our ranking factors and why we consider those factors.
Better Early-Career Average Salaries
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a bachelor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. Recent students who earned a bachelor's degree in Idaho entered the job market making an average of $37,020 while those in the top 6 schools on our list made an average of $37,028.
Starting Salary ( 35025 to 38110 )
Student Loan Borrowing
Students may also take on a lot of debt while working on their bachelor's so we factor that into our rankings as well.
Upon graduation, bachelor's degree recipients from schools in Idaho have accumulated an average of $24,050 in student debt.
The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
Additional Ranking Factors We Use
Our Best Bachelor's Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.
Are you more interested in the top bachelor's degree schools in your area? Try narrowing this list by location. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.
Boise State University tops this year’s ranking as the best school for bachelor’s degrees in Idaho for overall quality. Located in Boise, Idaho, the large public school handed out 3,935 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Boise State make an average of $39,542 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $25,835. Average monthly loan payments are around $259 for a 10-year repayment plan.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Idaho helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Idaho. Located in Moscow, Idaho, the fairly large public school awarded 1,738 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from U of I make an average of $35,500 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $23,801 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $241.
Out of the 6 bachelor’s degree schools in Idaho that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Idaho landed the #3 spot on the list. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Rexburg, Idaho, and it awarded 5,977 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from BYU - I make an average of $38,095 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $14,096 in student loans.
Out of the 6 bachelor’s degree schools in Idaho that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwest Nazarene University landed the #4 spot on the list. Nampa, Idaho is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 340 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from NNU make an average of $35,894 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $27,181.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Idaho State University. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Idaho list. This fairly large public school is located in Pocatello, Idaho, and it awarded 1,348 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from ISU go into careers with an average salary of $36,123 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $27,695 after getting their degree.
Lewis - Clark State College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Idaho list. Lewis - Clark State College is a small public school located in Lewiston, Idaho that handed out 599 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Lewis - Clark State College make an average of $37,012 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $26,177.
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%.
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