Best Community Colleges in Idaho 2024

Badge for BEST IN IDAHO COMMUNITY COLLEGES
By Dr. James Barham
Published:
Updated:

The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top-rated community colleges in Idaho offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.

Best Community Colleges in Idaho

Sort by:
  1. College of Western Idaho
  2. North Idaho College
  3. College of Southern Idaho
  4. College of Eastern Idaho
  1. North Idaho College
  2. College of Southern Idaho
  3. College of Western Idaho
  4. College of Eastern Idaho
    1. College of Southern Idaho 22 to 1
    2. College of Western Idaho 19 to 1
    3. North Idaho College 14 to 1
    4. College of Eastern Idaho 13 to 1
    1. College of Southern Idaho $4,560
    2. College of Eastern Idaho $4,360
    3. North Idaho College $4,000
    4. College of Western Idaho $3,400
      1. College of Eastern Idaho
      2. College of Southern Idaho
      3. North Idaho College
      4. College of Western Idaho
      1. College of Eastern Idaho
      2. College of Western Idaho
      3. College of Southern Idaho
      4. North Idaho College
        1. College of Eastern Idaho 13 to 1
        2. North Idaho College 14 to 1
        3. College of Western Idaho 19 to 1
        4. College of Southern Idaho 22 to 1
        1. College of Western Idaho $3,400
        2. North Idaho College $4,000
        3. College of Eastern Idaho $4,360
        4. College of Southern Idaho $4,560

          Colleges and Universities in Idaho

          While there are only a few major colleges in Idaho, prospective students do have some excellent public options. In fact, just over half of the 13 colleges and universities in Idaho are public school options.

          Boise State University, Idaho’s largest public university, serves roughly 17,000 students through both on-campus and online degree programs. Students at Boise State University can pursue both traditional and online degrees in fields like communications, earth sciences, and engineering.

          Other major public universities in Idaho include Idaho State University and Lewis-Clark State College. This is noteworthy because Idaho residents who attend public online colleges in Idaho will still have access to in-state tuition discounts. Out of state students will pay more.

          Idaho is also home to five private schools, including the state’s largest school, Brigham Young University Idaho, which has a student population of nearly 49,000 students.

          Find college admissions consultants in your state.

          While students at BYU school can expect to pay around $4,000 in tuition, well below the national average, tuition for Idaho’s other private colleges costs between $13,000 and $30,000 per year.

          The majority of Idaho’s colleges and universities can be considered small schools, serving student populations of 4,000 or less. However, the state’s largest schools offer the most affordable tuition fees, with both traditional and online students having access to tuition for as little as $4,000 per year.

          Students who pursue their degrees in Idaho can study fields like chemistry, law, and anthropology at the University of Idaho; or religious studies, psychology, and literature at New Saint Andrews College. Additionally, Idaho offers a loan forgiveness-based financial program of up to $100,000 to physicians who work in the state’s rural areas.

          French fries, mashed potatoes, tater tots, and even potato-inspired ice cream - Idaho is, as per its reputation, a potato lover’s dream. But it’s not all spuds in this state. Along with countless hiking trails, rivers perfect for rafting trips, and 72 types of gemstones, this state offers both on-campus and online degree programs with competitive tuition fees and excellent professors.

          For more information, explore some of Idaho’s top programs and future career possibilities.


          What are Idaho’s Colleges & Universities?

          Idaho’s Best Overall

          Idaho's Best Community Colleges Badge
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          We’ve identified 4 community colleges in Idaho. The following list shows the best community colleges and primarily associate degree granting colleges in Idaho.

          If you’re interested in an online associate degree, visit our best online associate degrees in Idaho page.

          Best Community Colleges in Idaho

          2. #2

            North Idaho College

            Coeur d'Alene , ID

            Tuition + fees

            $5K

            Graduation

            26%

            Student body

            6K

            Career Outlook for degree at North Idaho College

            Cost of Degree: $4,960
            Expenses: $12,850
            Starting Salary: $36,000
            Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
            Paid back at 15% of annual salary
            What is North Idaho College known for?

            North Idaho College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

            Most Influential Alumni

            Compare school
          3. #3

            College of Southern Idaho

            Twin Falls , ID
            #2 Best Online Associate in American Sign Language (ASL) Degree Programs #2 Best Online Associate's in Physics #3 Best Online Associate in Political Science #3 Best Online Associate in Biology
            Other Rankings

            Tuition + fees

            $5K

            Graduation

            31%

            Student body

            14K

            Career Outlook for degree at College of Southern Idaho

            Cost of Degree: $4,560
            Expenses: $11,390
            Starting Salary: $33,700
            Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
            Paid back at 15% of annual salary
            What is College of Southern Idaho known for?

            College of Southern Idaho’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

            Most Influential Alumni

            Compare school
          4. #4

            College of Eastern Idaho

            Idaho Falls , ID

            Tuition + fees

            $4K

            Graduation

            44%

            Student body

            3K

            Career Outlook for degree at College of Eastern Idaho

            Cost of Degree: $4,390
            Starting Salary: $30,200
            What is College of Eastern Idaho known for?

            College of Eastern Idaho’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

            Compare school
          2021 Ranking Archive

          Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

          1. North Idaho College
          2. College of Eastern Idaho
          3. College of Southern Idaho
          4. College of Western Idaho
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