Quad

Head-to-head

U. Idaho
Idaho State

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    U. Idaho grads earn $9.1K more ten years out than Idaho State's ($54,670 vs. $45,608)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  2. 2

    U. Idaho graduates 5 pts more of its students than Idaho State (62% vs. 56%)

    Graduation rate
  3. 3

    Idaho State costs about $4K less per year on average than U. Idaho ($15,215 vs. $19,240, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  4. 4

    Idaho State has 4 pts more Pell recipients than U. Idaho (28% vs. 23%)

    Pell Grant recipients
  5. 5

    Idaho State has 4 pts more first-gen students than U. Idaho (36% vs. 32%)

    First-generation students
  6. 6

    U. Idaho's grants cover 39% of its full price on average, vs. 36% at Idaho State

    Aid generosity

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

U. Idaho admits 76%; Idaho State doesn't report an acceptance rate.

Acceptance rate
U. Idaho76%
Idaho StateNot reported
Quad's selectivity
  • U. IdahoAccessible
  • Idaho StateNot rated
SAT middle 50%Axis 900–1600
U. Idaho
990–1230
Idaho StateNot reported
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • U. IdahoGPA and school record required
  • Idaho StateNot reported

Who's on each campus

U. Idaho and Idaho State are about the same size; Idaho State has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
U. Idaho7.7K
Idaho State7.6K
Pell Grant share
U. Idaho23%
Idaho State28%

Majors and faculty

Psychology leads at U. Idaho, and Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse at Idaho State; Idaho State has 14 students per faculty member to U. Idaho's 18.

Students per faculty member
U. Idaho18 to 1
Idaho State14 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • U. IdahoPsychology, General7%
  • Idaho StateRegistered Nursing/Registered Nurse13%

What each costs

Idaho State costs about $4K less a year than U. Idaho on average; U. Idaho's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
U. Idaho$19.2K
Idaho State$15.2K
Aid generosity
U. Idaho39%
Idaho State36%

What each pays off

U. Idaho's former students earn more, a median $54.7K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 50% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
U. Idaho$54.7K
Idaho State$45.6K
Graduation rate
U. Idaho62%
Idaho State56%

How each has changed

Applications grew at U. Idaho, which got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • U. IdahoGrowing+58%
  • Idaho StateNot reported
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why