College of Southern Idaho
#1 Best Colleges in Idaho- Graduation Rate
- 34% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $40,916 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $6,095 A
- 64% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 3,810
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 39.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $39.5 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Colleges in Idaho.
Every $1 spent returns $39.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $938,648.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 34% — 40% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $39.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About College of Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 3,810
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT
Why students choose College of Southern Idaho
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $6,095 a year after grants and scholarships — 64% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $40,916 ten years after enrolling — 0% above the typical college, against $8,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.2% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 67% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.99 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
The College of Southern Idaho has a net price of just $6,095, making it one of the more affordable options for students in the region. This accessible cost helps make higher education attainable for many, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds.
The 10-year earnings for graduates stand at $40,916, indicating a solid return on investment. Although the graduation rate is 34%, data from Opportunity Insights suggests that community colleges can serve as important stepping stones for students looking to improve their economic situation. The limited Pell Grant rate of 18% indicates that many students rely on other forms of financial aid or personal resources to fund their education.
Students who thrive at the College of Southern Idaho typically seek programs in humanities, health professions, business, computer science, or mechanic and repair tech. The median debt of $8,000 is manageable, allowing graduates to enter the workforce with less financial burden. This practical approach to education prepares students for stable careers in various fields while keeping costs low.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective College of Southern Idaho is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into College of Southern Idaho? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Twin Falls, Idaho, College of Southern Idaho enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
- Retention Rate
- 100%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,538
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 22:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.56
- First-Gen Students
- 42%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend College of Southern Idaho? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at College of Southern Idaho is $6,840, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,095. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,749 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $3,360
- Out-of-State
- $6,840
- Avg Net Price
- $6,095
- Median Debt
- $8,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 18%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 7%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $4,749
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,108
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $7,017
- Family Income $110K+
- $7,520
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at College of Southern Idaho — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is College of Southern Idaho Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of College of Southern Idaho report median earnings of $40,916, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $35,642
- 8 Years
- $37,676
- 10 Years
- $40,916
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.2x
- Earning > $25K
- 50%
Earnings Trajectory
How College Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is College of Southern Idaho Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, College of Southern Idaho delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,095/year ($24,380 total). Graduates earn $40,916 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $963,028 in total earnings — a net gain of $938,648 (39.5× your investment). The median debt is $8,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 34% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $24,380
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $963,028
- Net Return
- $938,648
- ROI Multiple
- 39.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $6,095
- Median Debt
- $8,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 34%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does College of Southern Idaho Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
College of Southern Idaho is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.15%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 13% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 8.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $56,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.15%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 8.9%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 13.0%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $77,307
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-283,814
Top Programs
The fields College of Southern Idaho awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 27%
- Health Professions 23% $63,667 early-career
- Business & Marketing 10% $31,800 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 6%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 4% $42,932 early-career
- Precision Production 3%
- Education 3% $25,556 early-career
- Culinary & Personal Services 2%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for College of Southern Idaho's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into College of Southern Idaho? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Twin Falls, Idaho, College of Southern Idaho enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend College of Southern Idaho? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at College of Southern Idaho is $6,840, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,095. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,749 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,000 in federal student loans.
Is College of Southern Idaho Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of College of Southern Idaho report median earnings of $40,916, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does College of Southern Idaho Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
College of Southern Idaho is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.15%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 13% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 8.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $56,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is College of Southern Idaho? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at College of Southern Idaho. Its economic connectedness score is 0.99, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to College of Southern Idaho.
- Lake-Sumter State CollegeLeesburg, FL · Close peer46% grad $39,876 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Mt Hood Community CollegeGresham, OR · Close peer25% grad $41,125 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Grayson CollegeDenison, TX · Close peer27% grad $40,873 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Olympic CollegeBremerton, WA · Close peer33% grad $43,169 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Snow CollegeEphraim, UT · Close peer45% grad $41,022 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Spokane Community CollegeSpokane, WA · Close peer35% grad $41,984 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is College of Southern Idaho? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at College of Southern Idaho. Its economic connectedness score is 0.99, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note