Boise State University
Boise, Idaho · Public, a midsize city · 17,674 undergraduates
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Is it hard to get into Boise State?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
87.2%
15,949 applied
SAT, middle half
Not published
Not used for admission
ACT, middle half
Not published
Not used for admission
Test scores this year
Not used at all
23% of admitted students enrolled
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Courses takenRequired
How much does Boise State cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees, Idaho residents
$9,364
Tuition and fees, out of state
$28,478
A full year, sticker price
$28,049
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$18,423
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $15,410 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $15,198 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,248 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $19,600 |
| Over $110,000 | $24,115 |
- Room and board on campus
- $15,512 a year; $14,775 off campus
- Books and supplies
- $800 a year
- The school's own grants
- 68% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $6,629
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do Boise State students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$19,678
About $224 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
24.6%
Get a Pell Grant
22.5%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
15%
What do Boise State graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$52,832
Ten years after starting
$60,091
Middle half: $39,489 to $87,340
Best-paid program, five years out
$115,089
Computer Science
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$31,834
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Do Boise State students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
78.8%
Graduate in six years
61%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
64% graduated
19% transferred, 1% still enrolled
Who goes to Boise State?
Women
57.3%
First in their family at college
33.5%
Part-time
20.3%
Students per teacher
20
- Background
- White 69%, Hispanic 16%, Black 2%, Asian 3%, Two or more 6%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 2,906 beds
What do Boise State graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 56 | $66,567 | $79,902 | $19,000 |
| Computer Science | 214 | $87,256 | $115,089 | $24,250 |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | 110 | $70,521 | $86,899 | $23,125 |
| Computer Engineering | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 69 | $85,801 | $102,879 | $21,229 |
| Engineering, General | 39 | $66,868 | Hidden | $22,917 |
| Materials Engineering | 28 | $75,650 | $99,482 | Hidden |
| Mechanical Engineering | 142 | $71,282 | $97,440 | $19,375 |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 179 | $60,316 | $74,767 | $18,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 416 | $58,043 | $72,819 | $20,321 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 541 | $52,313 | $71,021 | $16,625 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 19 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Construction Management | 133 | $79,712 | $113,332 | $19,090 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 200 | $62,950 | $81,970 | $15,000 |
| International Business | 40 | $49,309 | $76,731 | Hidden |
| Marketing | 217 | $50,847 | $70,885 | $19,750 |
Nursing
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 856 | $87,996 | $90,824 | $16,509 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 544 | $85,702 | $90,517 | $15,737 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | 361 | $42,175 | $59,202 | $18,952 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Public Health | 84 | $48,637 | Hidden | $16,262 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 0 | $40,305 | $62,247 | Hidden |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology, General | 257 | $37,611 | $56,712 | $20,084 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 71 | $41,209 | $53,107 | $20,000 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 268 | Hidden | Hidden | $18,485 |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics | 27 | Hidden | $86,322 | Hidden |
| Chemistry | 57 | $43,086 | $88,587 | $11,365 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 37 | Hidden | $60,621 | $18,325 |
| Mathematics | 39 | Hidden | $49,147 | Hidden |
| Physics | 41 | Hidden | $70,899 | Hidden |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General | 0 | $34,181 | $50,193 | Hidden |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 8 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| History | 54 | Hidden | $46,564 | $16,980 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 13 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Literature | 22 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Philosophy | 17 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 92 | Hidden | Hidden | $22,000 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 38 | $34,335 | $59,029 | Hidden |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | 19 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Education, General | 55 | $31,423 | Hidden | $23,276 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 39 | $44,446 | $48,048 | $26,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 161 | $43,243 | $45,684 | $18,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 113 | $43,830 | $50,523 | $19,625 |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | 197 | $38,300 | $38,778 | $20,859 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 30 | $26,993 | $31,834 | Hidden |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 59 | Hidden | Hidden | $17,446 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 5 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Music | 33 | $35,412 | Hidden | $22,680 |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Analytics | 18 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Digital Humanities and Textual Studies | 5 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| International/Globalization Studies | 21 | $30,814 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | 265 | $47,628 | $56,166 | $19,479 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 194 | $49,814 | $64,214 | $16,060 |
Compare Boise State with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Boise State University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences