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Colleges / ID / Twin Falls
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College of Southern Idaho

#1 Best Colleges in Idaho
Public Twin Falls, ID · Urban · Rocky Mountains · 87% data
A Value A Affordability C Earnings
34%
D
Graduation Rate
Lower completion rate than most colleges
$40,916
C
Earnings (10yr)
Roughly in line with national averages
$6,095
A
Net Price
64% less than the typical college
3,810
Enrollment
Earnings +0% vs avg
Graduation -40% vs avg
Net Price +-64% vs avg
Mobility Top 67%

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.

39.5× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $39.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $938,648.

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What The Data Says

1

A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

2

Graduation of 34% — 40% below the national average.

3

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

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Humanities
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 44% overall
C
Earnings
$40,916 median
A
Value
6.7× net price
A
Affordability
$6,095/yr net
D
Graduation
34% graduate
D+
Social Mobility
1.2% climb Q1→Q5
C
Diversity
0.56 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

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

1

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.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

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 school reports a graduation rate of 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%
2

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

When weighing the true cost of attending College of Southern Idaho, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $6,840 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $6,095 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,749 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $8,000.

$3,360
In-State Tuition
$6,840
Out-of-State
$6,095
Avg Net Price
$8,000
Median Debt
18%
Pell Grant Rate
7%
Federal Loan Rate

What Families Actually Pay

$4,749
Family Income $0–$30K
$5,108
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,017
Family Income $48K–$75K
$7,520
Family Income $110K+
3

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

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; prospective students should weigh that figure against the program's cost when calculating return on investment.

$35,642
6 Years After Entry
$37,676
8 Years
$40,916
10 Years
0.2x
Debt-to-Earnings
50%
Earning > $25K

Earnings Trajectory

$35,642 6yr $37,676 8yr $40,916 10yr

How College Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation34%Earnings 10yr$41KNet Price$6KRetention100%Median Debt$8KPell Grant Rate18%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$5K$0-30K$5K$30-48K$7K$48-75K$8K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%13.0%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%8.9%MOBILITY1.15%

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.

$24,380
Total Cost (4yr)
$963,028
Projected 20yr Earnings
$938,648
Net Return
39.5×
ROI Multiple
$6,095
Cost Per Year
$8,000
Median Debt
Less than 1 yr
Debt Payback
34%
Graduation Rate
4

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 genuine 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 useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

1.15%
Mobility Rate
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
8.9%
Success Rate
If bottom 20% get in
13.0%
From Bottom 20%
Share of students
$56,900
Parent Median Income

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, with an economic connectedness score of 0.99 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

0.99
Economic Connectedness
Cross-class friendships
-0.01
Friending Bias
Lower = more inclusive
6.6%
Volunteering Rate
0.99
Support Ratio
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
Total Expenses
Federal Grants
$-283,814
Investment Income

Top Programs

The fields College of Southern Idaho awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

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 school reports a graduation rate of roughly 34%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend College of Southern Idaho? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +

When weighing the true cost of attending College of Southern Idaho, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $6,840 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $6,095 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,749 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $8,000.

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; prospective students should weigh that figure against the program's cost when calculating return on investment.

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 genuine 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 useful read on 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, with an economic connectedness score of 0.99 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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