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College of Western Idaho logo
Public Nampa, ID · Rural · Rocky Mountains · 80% data
B+ Affordability C Diversity F Graduation
Graduation Rate
29% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Net Price
$8,500 B+
50% less than the typical college
Enrollment
6,459
Graduation -50% vs avg
Net Price +-50% vs avg

Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. Ranked #6 in Most Affordable Colleges in Idaho.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduation of 29% — 50% below the national average.

About College of Western Idaho

College of Western 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
6,459
Setting
Rural
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Mechanic & Repair Tech, Business & Marketing, Humanities

Why students choose College of Western Idaho

Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C
Top 53% overall
B+
Affordability
$8,500/yr net
F
Graduation
29% graduate
C
Diversity
0.58 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

At the College of Western Idaho, students find a welcoming environment tailored for diverse interests, especially in practical fields like Health Professions, Mechanic & Repair Tech, and Business & Marketing. With around 6,459 students enrolled, the college fosters a close-knit community where personal attention is more than just a slogan. Students here are focused on gaining hands-on experience, which is vital in today's job market.

When it comes to life after graduation, affordability plays a crucial role. With a net price of $8,500 after financial aid, many students can manage their education without accumulating overwhelming debt. The median debt stands at $9,720, which is fairly manageable for those entering the workforce. While we don't have specific earnings data, the college aims to equip students with the skills needed to succeed in their chosen fields, and many graduates do find pathways to upward mobility.

Ultimately, this school tends to attract students who are practical-minded and career-focused. Whether you're drawn to tech, health, or business, the college supports a hands-on approach to learning. It's a place where dedication to your studies can lead to fulfilling career opportunities while keeping financial burdens in check.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective College of Western 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 Western Idaho? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Nampa, Idaho, College of Western Idaho enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 29%.

Retention Rate
66%
Full-Time Faculty
47%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,101
Student–Faculty Ratio
19:1
Diversity Index
0.58
First-Gen Students
45%

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 Western Idaho? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at College of Western Idaho is $7,454, 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 $8,500. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,228 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,720 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$3,446
Out-of-State
$7,454
Avg Net Price
$8,500
Median Debt
$9,720
Pell Grant Rate
22%
Federal Loan Rate
26%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$6,228
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,227
Family Income $48K–$75K
$8,791
Family Income $110K+
$12,043

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is College of Western Idaho Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

6 Years After Entry
$35,528
8 Years
$38,151

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (109)
14%
100% (109)
14%
100% (109)
14%
100% (109)
14%

How College Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation29%Net Price$9KRetention66%Median Debt$10KPell Grant Rate22%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$6K$0-30K$7K$30-48K$9K$48-75K$12K$110K+

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is College of Western 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 Western Idaho. Its economic connectedness score is 0.85, 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 12% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.85
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
11.8%
Support Ratio
0.89
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
$2,324,565
Investment Income
$-1,472,186

Top Programs

The fields College of Western 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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into College of Western Idaho? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Nampa, Idaho, College of Western Idaho enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 29%.

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

Published tuition at College of Western Idaho is $7,454, 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 $8,500. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,228 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,720 in federal student loans.

How Connected Is College of Western 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 Western Idaho. Its economic connectedness score is 0.85, 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 12% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to College of Western Idaho.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys