Idaho is home to several colleges, many of them offering some form of online instruction. Schools with an online presence, including Northwest Nazarene and Boise State University, offer both bachelor's and graduate degrees entirely online. Additionally, Idaho is a member of the western branch of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, which makes distance education programs more accessible and affordable for students in that part of the country. We'll explore that institution, along with other major proponents of distance learning in Idaho, below.
Before we dive into our list of best online colleges in Idaho for 2018, let's look at the state of higher education and online education in particular in Idaho today.
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Overview of Online Colleges in Idaho
A Brief Overview of Higher Education in Idaho
Higher education in Idaho is offered by 19 degree-granting institutions, eight of which are funded by Idaho tax dollars. The eight publicly funded institutions are split evenly between four-year and two-year institutions. Six of the other 11 institutions operate as private, nonprofit colleges, and the remaining five are for-profit colleges. Total fall enrollment at these 19 colleges and universities grew 37.3% from 2011 to 2016 — the second greatest fall enrollment growth in the nation. In sharp contrast, the national total fall enrollment rate declined 5.6% in the same time period. Idaho's tremendous growth reflects the successful efforts of that state's educational leaders and legislators to boost the educational achievements of its citizens. Two strategies, a direct admissions program and Idaho's Gear Up program have driven some of this growth. The other significant driving factor, however, is enrollment through accredited online colleges in Idaho.[dataviz-stats public="8" non-profit="6" for-profit="5"]Idaho's public four-year institutions charge an average of $7,590 for in-state tuition and fees. By way of example, the University of Idaho charges $7,864 for in-state students and $25,500 in out-of-state tuition. According to the National State Student Grant and Aid Programs, Idaho awarded $5,091,848 in need-based grants to 1,771 recipients for an average benefit of $2,875 per student. State aid funneled to merit and non-need grants averaged $6,942 per student.As indicated earlier, Idaho participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, which makes it much easier for non-residents to pursue online college courses and degrees through online colleges in Idaho. See the tuition breaks section below for more information.
Higher Education in Idaho
Featured Online Programs
The State of Online Higher Education in Idaho
According to the Distance Education State Almanac 2017, 60,704 of the 121,108 students (50.1%) enrolled in Idaho colleges and universities take at least one distance education course, which exceeds the national average of 29.7%. Just over one in five (21.9%) students take a mix of on-campus and online courses. This reflects the convenience offered by online colleges in Idaho to its citizens. Of those who take at least one online course, 34,129 (56.2%) complete their entire program online. Undergraduate students comprise 93% of that total. Interestingly, Idaho residents make up only 9,114, or 29.7% of those taking all their coursework online.[dataviz-nces online="56.2" undergrad="93" in-state="29.7"]Idaho public colleges and universities comprise seven of the top ten institutions enrolling students in distance learning programs. However, the private, nonprofit Brigham Young University-Idaho clearly leads the rest with 33,551 undergraduates enrolled in online programs. Boise State University and Idaho State University boast the highest online enrollments among Idaho's public institutions.Online education in Idaho benefits from the Idaho Regional Optical Network which serves education, healthcare, and government entities with a high-speed fiber optic infrastructure. This network links with similar networks in other states.
Tuition Breaks for Out-of-State Students
Out-of-state students attending accredited online colleges in Idaho benefit from the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement. As part of that agreement, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) has been created to help students residing in any of the 16 western states and territories to affordably access Idaho online degrees. More than 40,000 students participate in a tuition reduction program through WICHE's Western Undergraduate Exchange. In 2017-2018, undergraduate students saved an average of $9,000 in out-of-state tuition at more than 160 colleges in the participating states. Graduate students also fared well through the Western Regional Graduate Program with tuition savings of nearly $16,000 each at 60 participating colleges and universities.Non-resident tuition may exceed in-state tuition by 300% or more; these programs can save out-of-state students nearly $14,000 each year. WICHE's website publishes a College Savings Finder tool to help you research each institution to determine the applicable tuition reduction rate. To capitalize on this tuition reduction, you must specifically request the tuition reduction when you apply to the college.
Best Online Colleges in Idaho
Below, you will find our rankings of the best online four-year programs in Idaho. Our profiles look at how schools approach online education and then list their services for distance students and they're most popular, fully online degrees. After reviewing the best online schools in Idaho, explore our state resources, like a database of every college and university in Idaho or our index of popular in-state scholarships.
Ranking Methodology
To determine the best online colleges in each state, we examined the factors most important to prospective students: Academic quality and reputation, online program strength, and cost and student aid. At the most basic level, we use the following formula to determine the best online colleges: Academic Quality + Online Offerings + Cost and Student Aid = Final Score. Of course, there's more to these calculations than meets the eye. Visit our methodology page to discover the data points that shape our formula and to learn more about the process we use to rank schools.
Most Affordable Online Colleges in Idaho
Below you'll find another ranking of the online schools in Idaho, listed by the tuition rate offered at each school.
Affordability Methodology
Our list of the most affordable online colleges is based on in-state yearly tuition, or annual tuition rates if a school does not differentiate between in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition rates are based on a full course load each semester or term. All colleges on the list offer at least one bachelor's degree completion program available entirely online.The online schools in ID with the lowest tuition are ranked highest, providing prospective students with a true list of the most affordable online colleges in their state.
College Graduate Outlook in Idaho
Job Outlook for College Graduates in Idaho
College graduates in Idaho do not need to look far for desirable employment options. Unemployment rates in Idaho have averaged about 2.8% through 2018, well below the rest of the nation, indicating strong employment prospects. Currently, the $42,240 mean annual wage for all occupations runs about 25% below the national average. However, as the third fastest-growing state in the nation, according to USA Today, Idaho's newcomers find the overall living and employment advantages to outweigh the lower mean annual wage.What key industries draw people to live and work in the Gem State? Given Idaho's numerous outdoor recreation options, the recreation technology and testing industry shows a rapid growth rate of 30% over the next 10 years with average annual salaries of $50,000. Idaho's aerospace industry should grow at 35% over the next 10 years with salaries averaging $63,000 per year. Advanced manufacturing and computer technology industries demonstrate strong growth with average salaries of $77,000 and $100,000 respectively. As the nation's leader in nuclear energy research, this field shows strong growth with salaries averaging $92,000 per year.