Boise State University (Boise State)
Public four-year university in Boise, ID that costs an average of $16,035 a year after financial aid, admits 87% of applicants and graduates 61% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$16,035
Acceptance rate
87%
Graduation rate
61%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$60,091
PublicMidsize city17,674 undergraduates
Cost of Boise State
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $25,661 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $9,364 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $28,478 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $15,512 |
| Books and supplies | $800 |
| Average net price after aid | $16,035 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $13,022 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $12,810 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $13,860 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $17,212 |
| $110,001+ | $21,727 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with Boise State's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 87% |
|---|---|
| Test scores | Neither required nor recommended |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 61% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 79% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $52,832 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $60,091 |
| Rank in Idaho (earnings) | 2nd of 9 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $19,678 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $224 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 22% |
| Students with federal loans | 25% |
Majors and programs at Boise State
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (68)
Certificate programs (55)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | 86 | $82,550 | $23,000 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 52 | $62,275 | $16,000 |
| Anthropology | 33 | $58,858 | $26,000 |
| Data Analytics | 86 | $57,572 | $19,745 |
| Business/Commerce | 62 | $50,107 | $20,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 263 | $46,502 | $19,101 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 251 | $42,557 | $19,000 |
| American Sign Language | 45 | $42,528 | — |
| Dispute Resolution | 82 | $41,758 | $20,240 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 45 | $37,520 | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 18 | $21,677 | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 12 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 1 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| Citizenship Activities | — | — | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | — | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 4 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 46 | — | $21,375 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | — | — | — |
| Computer Science | 3 | — | — |
| Data Science | 1 | — | — |
| Digital Humanities and Textual Studies | 75 | — | $21,557 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | — | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | — | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 1 | — | — |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 5 | — | — |
| Engineering | 7 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 17 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 13 | — | — |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | — | — | — |
| Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other | 3 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 33 | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 7 | — | — |
| History | 1 | — | — |
| Homeland Security | — | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | — | — | — |
| Human Computer Interaction | 21 | — | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Marketing | 84 | — | $24,000 |
| Materials Engineering | — | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 22 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 12 | — | — |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 6 | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 6 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 26 | — | — |
| Music | 1 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 5 | — | — |
| Public Administration | 2 | — | — |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | 9 | — | — |
| Public Health | 34 | — | $14,269 |
| Security Science and Technology | — | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 32 | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 22 | — | — |
Associate's degree programs (3)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 496 | $37,189 | $13,038 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | — | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 7 | — | — |
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs (20)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Management and Services | — | $83,999 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | — | $56,216 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Anthropology | — | — | — |
| Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | — | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Digital Humanities and Textual Studies | — | — | — |
| Dispute Resolution | — | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | — | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | — | — | — |
| Human Computer Interaction | — | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | — | — | — |
| Public Administration | — | — | — |
| Public Health | — | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | — | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | — | — | — |
| Security Science and Technology | — | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | — | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (48)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 44 | $136,508 | $62,943 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 353 | $108,771 | $40,642 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 100 | $94,774 | $31,862 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 122 | $77,264 | $21,000 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 57 | $74,004 | $20,374 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 60 | $69,371 | $37,893 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 57 | $65,780 | $41,000 |
| Social Work | 537 | $60,861 | $32,155 |
| Public Administration | 46 | $60,038 | — |
| Public Health | 43 | $58,978 | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 53 | $51,510 | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 41 | $49,972 | $47,667 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 36 | $49,584 | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 44 | $49,245 | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 23 | $46,258 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 64 | $45,243 | $23,000 |
| Anthropology | 13 | — | — |
| Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | 6 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 22 | — | — |
| Biology | 22 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 9 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 22 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 29 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 8 | — | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 10 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 4 | — | — |
| Economics | 9 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 5 | — | — |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering | 16 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | — | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 21 | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 14 | — | — |
| History | 10 | — | — |
| Literature | 7 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 15 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 25 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 18 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 23 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 13 | — | — |
| Music | 9 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 14 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 9 | — | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | — | — | — |
| Security Science and Technology | 40 | — | $30,651 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 21 | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 7 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (15)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 9 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 19 | — | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | — | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 9 | — | — |
| Education | 12 | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 16 | — | — |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering | 8 | — | — |
| Engineering | — | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 10 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 15 | — | — |
| Public Health | — | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | 16 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | — | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 1 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (1)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 15 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (29)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 1 | — | — |
| Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | 8 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 3 | — | — |
| Computer Science | — | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | — | — | — |
| Data Science | 1 | — | — |
| Digital Humanities and Textual Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Dispute Resolution | 11 | — | — |
| Economics | 2 | — | — |
| Education | — | — | — |
| Education, Other | — | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 25 | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 21 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 7 | — | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | — | — | — |
| Human Computer Interaction | 11 | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 84 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | — | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 4 | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering Technology/Technician | — | — | — |
| Public Administration | 17 | — | — |
| Public Health | 15 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 3 | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Security Science and Technology | 18 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 29 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 1 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 54 | — | — |
Similar colleges in Idaho
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Idaho | Moscow | $15,321 | 76% | $58,095 |
| Idaho State University | Pocatello | $8,910 | — | $50,919 |
| Lewis-Clark State College | Lewiston | $13,632 | 88% | $52,487 |
| The College of Idaho | Caldwell | $19,602 | 49% | $57,623 |
| Northwest Nazarene University | Nampa | $25,262 | 65% | $60,370 |
| Eagle Gate College-Boise Campus | Boise | $32,637 | — | $41,796 |
| New Saint Andrews College | Moscow | — | 84% | — |
| Provo College-Idaho Falls Campus | Idaho Falls | $32,478 | — | $42,739 |
About Boise State
| Type | Public four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Boise, ID |
| Setting | Midsize city |
| Undergraduates | 17,674 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 20 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Website | boisestate.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Boise State's acceptance rate?
Boise State University admits 87% of applicants.
How much does Boise State cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $25,661 a year (tuition and fees: $9,364 in-state, $28,478 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $16,035 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $13,022.
How much do Boise State graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $60,091 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 2nd of 9 similar colleges in Idaho. The best-paid bachelor's program is registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research and clinical nursing ($87,996 a year after graduation).
What is Boise State's graduation rate?
61% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% of first-year students return for a second year.