Best Small Colleges in Idaho 2025

Badge for BEST IN IDAHO SMALL COLLEGES

By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Chloe Dembski

Published: Apr 13, 2021
Updated: Oct 24, 2024

Small colleges in Idaho are a great option for students interested in a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Whether the focus is on the technical or on the liberal arts, small colleges give you the chance to pursue a well-rounded education while working closely with classmates and professors in a dynamic community atmosphere.

Key Takeaways

Many of the best small colleges in Idaho have strong ties to their local communities, encouraging students to engage in service-learning projects, internships, and community-based research, giving them real-world experience and a sense of connection to the region.
The best small colleges in Idaho often offer small class sizes and close-knit academic communities, providing personalized attention from faculty and fostering strong mentor-student relationships.
With Idaho’s beautiful natural landscapes, these colleges emphasize outdoor learning opportunities, offering programs and activities that integrate environmental studies and outdoor recreation, appealing to students who enjoy an active lifestyle.

Table of Contents

Best Small Colleges in Idaho in 2025

College of Idaho
Northwest Nazarene University
Lewis–Clark State College
+1
New Saint Andrews College
–1

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.

In 2025, the top schools in our ranking of the best small colleges in Idaho had a few changes. Lewis–Clark State College gained one ranking position as a result of the school expanded its health sciences and technical programs, adding new certifications and degree options in areas such as nursing, cybersecurity, and renewable energy, addressing growing industry demands.

Additionally, the campus has been upgraded with modernized facilities, including new labs and student spaces designed to enhance both academic and social experiences. Lewis–Clark State has also strengthened its partnerships with local businesses, creating more internship opportunities and hands-on learning experiences that give students practical skills for the workforce.

The following list of the best small colleges and universities in Idaho is composed mainly of four-year undergraduate schools (though a handful also offer graduate programs). We’ve identified 4 small colleges in Idaho. The list below of the best small colleges in Idaho. To be included schools must fully accredited, and must have student body populations below 5,000 students.

Best Small Colleges in Idaho

Last Year’s Ranking:
1. College of Idaho
2. Northwest Nazarene University
3. New Saint Andrews College
4. Lewis–Clark State College
#1
College of Idaho
Caldwell , ID
#2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Idaho 2025 #2 Best Private Colleges in Idaho 2024 #5 Best Colleges in Idaho 2024 #5 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
46%
Graduation
60%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1155/26
Career Outlook for degree at College of Idaho
Cost of Degree: $36,030
Expenses: $15,335
Starting Salary: $47,300
Cost Recoup Time: 17 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is College of Idaho known for?

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

Chemistry
Biology
History
Political Science
Sociology
Medical
Mathematics
Education
Psychology
Literature

Most Influential Alumni

Elgin Baylor
Mary Shaw Shorb
Cary Coglianese
Forest Rohwer
Butch Otter
C. Daniel Johnson
Kent E. Holsinger
Paul Smith
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#2
Northwest Nazarene University
Nampa , ID
#2 Best Christian Colleges in Idaho 2024 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Idaho 2025 #3 Best Private Colleges in Idaho 2024 #4 Best Grad Schools in Idaho 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
58%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1120/23
Career Outlook for degree at Northwest Nazarene University
Cost of Degree: $40,895
Expenses: $17,216
Starting Salary: $46,300
Cost Recoup Time: 18 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is Northwest Nazarene University known for?

Northwest Nazarene University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Religious Studies
Philosophy
Psychology
Literature
Education
History
Physics
Social Work
Political Science
Communications

Most Influential Alumni

Thomas Jay Oord
Michael Lodahl
Mildred Bangs Wynkoop
Lori Otter
Northwest Nazarene University’s Online Degrees
BS in Business Administration

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Accounting

Required Credits: 150
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Christian Ministry

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Liberal Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
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#3
Lewis–Clark State College
Lewiston , ID
#4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Idaho 2025 #4 Best Public Colleges in Idaho 2024 #4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #5 Most Affordable Colleges in Idaho 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
35%
Student body
4K
Career Outlook for degree at Lewis–Clark State College
Cost of Degree: $7,388
Expenses: $17,330
Starting Salary: $38,200
Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is Lewis–Clark State College known for?

Lewis–Clark State College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Social Work
Literature
Chemistry
Education
Sociology
Mathematics
Communications
Biology
History
Computer Science

Most Influential Alumni

Bryan Fuller
Kim Barnes
Lewis–Clark State College’s Online Degrees
BA in Accounting

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Accounting

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BAS in Business

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Business Administration

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Business Administration

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Business And Communication

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Business And Communication

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Business Management

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Business Management

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Sport Administration

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Sport Administration

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Justice Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Justice Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BTC in Early Childhood Development

Required Credits: 10
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Elementary Education

Required Credits: 128
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Elementary Education

Required Credits: 128
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Interdisciplinary Studies

Required Credits: 83
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Communication Arts

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Communication Arts

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in General Studies

Degree Concentrations
Education
Humanities
Natural Sciences And Mathematics
Social Sciences

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in General Studies

Degree Concentrations
Business

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Interdisciplinary Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Social Science

Degree Concentrations
Anthropology
History-Secondary Education
Sociology

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Social Science

Degree Concentrations
Political Science

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BSW in Social Work

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Computed Tomography

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Computed Tomography

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BSN in Nursing

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BSN in Nursing Lpn To Bsn

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BSN in Nursing Rn To Bsn

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Radiographic Science

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
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#4
New Saint Andrews College
Moscow , ID
#3 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #3 Best Christian Colleges in Idaho 2024 #4 Best Private Colleges in Idaho 2024 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Idaho 2025
Other Rankings
- #6 Most Affordable Colleges in Idaho 2025
- #7 Best Colleges in Idaho 2024
Tuition + fees
$15K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
82%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1230/27
What is New Saint Andrews College known for?

New Saint Andrews College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Education
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Build your own college rankings

Idaho’s Best Small College in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 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.

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