Best College ROI in Id 2026
10 colleges in Id analyzed for return on investment. Lewis-Clark State College leads with a ROI Score of 96/100 (STRONG BUY).
Id has 10 colleges tracked in the Department of Education's College Scorecard, split between 5 public institutions and 5 private ones. Across the 10 schools with enough data to score, graduates of the top-paying major at each school carry a median federal debt of $22K and earn $78K in their first year out — the gap that determines whether a degree pays back.
80% of Id colleges earn an A or B on the ROI Score, with the rest landing at C or below. First-year earnings top out at Lewis-Clark State College (median $95K on Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management). The lowest median debt comes from College of Southern Idaho at $14K.
All numbers come from the latest College Scorecard release, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients only — graduates who paid cash or used private loans aren't in this dataset, so actual median debt at high-income schools may be lower than shown. The ROI Score weights debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), BLS job outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%).
Top 3 Best ROI Colleges in Id
Lewis-Clark State College
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Tops Id's ROI rankings on its Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management program. Graduates earn a median $95K in their first year against $21K in median debt.
University of Idaho
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Second-best ROI in the state, driven by Computer Science. Five-year median earnings: $147K.
Boise State University
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Third on the ROI Score with Computer Science. Graduation rate 10000%, debt $22K.
Top 10 Colleges by ROI in Id
| # | School | Best Major | Median Debt | 1yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis-Clark State College(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 2 | University of Idaho(public) | Computer Science | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 3 | Boise State University(public) | Computer Science | $22K | $95K | A (95) |
| 4 | Northwest Nazarene University(private) | Computer Science | $23K | $95K | A (95) |
| 5 | The College of Idaho(private) | Applied Mathematics | $21K | $78K | A (95) |
| 6 | Idaho State University(public) | Computer Science | $23K | $95K | A (94) |
| 7 | Brigham Young University-Idaho(private) | Computer and Information Sciences | $24K | $95K | A (92) |
| 8 | College of Southern Idaho(public) | Food Science and Technology | $14K | $48K | B (70) |
| 9 | New Saint Andrews College(private) | Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $24K | $45K | C (64) |
| 10 | Boise Bible College(private) | Theology and Religious Vocations | $24K | $40K | C (60) |
College ROI Rankings by State
College debt and earnings data for Id is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lewis-Clark State College has the best ROI in Id with a score of 96/100 (STRONG BUY). The top major is Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management, with $95K in first-year median earnings against $21K in median debt.
Across 10 Id colleges with ROI data, graduates carry a median debt of about $22K on the best-paying major at each school. First-year median earnings on those same programs average $78K.
Lewis-Clark State College graduates earn the most one year out, with median first-year pay of $95K on its top major (Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management). After five years, those graduates earn a median of $147K.
Id has 10 colleges in our database (5 public, 5 private). Of the 10 with reportable ROI, 80% earn an A or B grade.
The ROI Score (0-100) weighs debt-to-income ratio (35%), earnings premium over a high school graduate (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%). Scores are graded A-F with verdicts from "Strong Buy" to "Avoid." Data comes from the College Scorecard and BLS occupational projections.
ROI Score: debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), debt vs. national average (10%).