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 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%).