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Boise State University

Boise, Idaho · Public · 4-year · City

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At a glance

Average net price
$21,610What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate
87%
Graduation rate
61%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates
17,674
In-state tuition
$9,048Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition
$27,788
SAT midpoint
Not reported
Median earnings, 10 yrs
$51,658Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against public 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$21,610

Better than 8% of public 4-year colleges (565 compared).

Completion

61%

Better than 71% of public 4-year colleges (566 compared).

Earnings

$51,658

Better than 39% of public 4-year colleges (590 compared).

Debt at graduation

$20,500

Better than 53% of public 4-year colleges (588 compared).

What these ratings are based on
Affordability
Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion
Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings
Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation
Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity
A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$28,224

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$21,610

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Boise State University
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time61%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return79%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed$20,500
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled$51,658

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Boise State University by graduate earnings
MajorEarnings, 1 yrDegrees awarded
Computer Science$85,596106
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$79,301467
Construction Management$77,10964
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions$76,843272
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$72,83224
Civil Engineering$65,64850
Mechanical Engineering$62,83578
Computer and Information Sciences, General$55,42231
Accounting and Related Services$53,11888
Business Administration, Management and Operations$48,776196
Finance and Financial Management Services$48,712104
Business/Managerial Economics$46,5116
Economics$46,1377
Public Health$46,11748
Physics$45,81322
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$45,369100
Business/Commerce, General$45,318244
Marketing$45,024108
Special Education and Teaching$42,30319
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$42,23768
International Business$42,03915
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$41,14159
Social Work$40,12660
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General$38,831123
Communication and Media Studies$37,954197
Criminal Justice and Corrections$37,891126
Social Sciences, General$36,29824
Biology, General$36,288134
History$34,56827
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other$34,244160
Political Science and Government$32,65053
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences$31,70116
Design and Applied Arts$31,08389
Psychology, General$30,865194
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness$30,709Not reported
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$28,21138
Sociology$26,80936
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics$26,57917
English Language and Literature, General$24,861Not reported
Physiology, Pathology and Related SciencesNot reported141
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesNot reported45
ChemistryNot reported35
Film/Video and Photographic ArtsNot reported33
Education, GeneralNot reported29
Security Science and TechnologyNot reported22
AnthropologyNot reported20
Applied MathematicsNot reported19
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationNot reported18
Engineering, GeneralNot reported18
MusicNot reported18
MathematicsNot reported17
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftNot reported16
Materials EngineeringNot reported15
Urban Studies/AffairsNot reported12
PhilosophyNot reported11
LiteratureNot reported10
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural EducationNot reported9
International/Globalization StudiesNot reported9
Data AnalyticsNot reported6
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesNot reported6
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group StudiesNot reported4
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported4
Fine and Studio ArtsNot reported3
Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsNot reported2
Digital Humanities and Textual StudiesNot reported1
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesNot reportedNot reported
Computer EngineeringNot reportedNot reported
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesNot reportedNot reported
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsNot reportedNot reported
Arts, Entertainment, and Media ManagementNot reportedNot reported
Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory ProgramsNot reportedNot reported

All 71 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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